Frida, Modigliani and the beginning of a love story

Written o July 12th


A few minutes ago, Roger Ebert has posted on Twitter his review on “Frida”written in 2002. This is how I’ve found out that tomorrow, 56 years will have passed since the Mexican artist had died.

In 2001, while I was preparing the production of “Modigliani”, the casting for Frida’s part marked the beginning of a love story which totally changed my life.

No, I haven't find the love of my life but instead, I madly fell in love with cinema.

Nothing compares with making films . Probably, this is the only way of travelling through time and space, getting the chance to know various histories and stories of long gone lives or lives that someday will be born again in the future.

And because nothing never happens for a reason, I am reading now on facebook that today is Modigliani’s birthday. Amedeo Modigliani was born on the 12th of July, 1884 in Livorno, Italy.

Working at Modigliani, seven years ago, was one of the best time of my life. I lived in the era of a beautiful madness .



Beatrice Chirita - the romanian who played Frida in Modigliani





“I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.”
Frida Khalo






Modigliani, written and directed by Mick Davis, produced in Romania at Media Pro studios in Buftea.



"What I am seeking is not the real and not the unreal but rather the unconscious, the mystery of the instinctive in the human race"
Amedeo Modigliani

The Tree of Life - a new cosmic film

Most anticipated movie of 2011 The Tree of Life written and directed by Terrence Malick starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn.

I really like Brad Pitt's vision about the sci-fi perspective of this film :
"Well, in a way. It's this little tiny story of a kid growing up in the 50s with a mother who's grace incarnate and a father who's oppressive in nature. So he is negotiating his way through it, defining who he's gonna be when he grows up. And that is juxtaposed with a little, tiny micro-story of the cosmos, from the beginning of the cosmos to the death of the cosmos. So that's where the sci-fi – or the sci-fact – comes in."
via Empire

LAPTOPS IN FASHION

Liked it :

HP's second version of Vivienne Tam Mini 100 netbook, clad in butterflies.

Room 17: Another sort of wonderland - Jan Svankmajer’s Alice

Recommended today by Miguel Villalobos at Room 17

A journey to the center of the earth- Turda Salt Mine

Last week I had the chance to visit Turda Salt Mine. It was a totally SF experience. We filmed a short documentary there. I can't wait to share it with you.

Probably it was my first journey to the center of the earth.










Pictures by Adrian Petrisor - fotolympus on deviantart http://fotolympus.deviantart.com/gallery/

One of the most important salt mines in Transylvania, Turda Salt Mine has been known since ancient times, but it has been put into operation for underground mining work during the Roman period.
The Salt Mine is mentioned in official documents for the first time in 1271, when the mine was offered to the Transylvanian Catholic Church leaders. In the Middle Ages, Turda was one of the biggest places of salt extraction in entire region. The salt was extracted as clods, which were then cut by specialist workers. The mines were lit by candles and tallow rush lights; explosives were never used for exploitation nor mechanical equipment used for cutting the salt.
The microclimate in the mine is characterized by yearly variations of temperature between 11 - 12° C; the average humidity level inside is 80% and the air pressure is between 747-752 mm Hg.
The lack of pathogen bacterium and a moderate air ionization is therefore favorable to breathing treatments.
By its impressive galleries, long tunnels and mining system, great acoustics and very healthy microclimate, Turda Salt Mine is an excellent destination for every tourist and a perfect location for every filmmaker .