Quale allegria
(What Happiness)
a feature documentary by Francesco Frisari
Quale allegria
(What Happiness)
a feature documentary by Francesco Frisari
“My uncle Massimo is funny and complex. And above all he has a severe mental disability. As a child I thought not only that he resembled my favorite singer Lucio Dalla, but that actually he was Dalla, and that his playful madness would set us free”.
The filmmaker tells the story of his disabled uncle, drawing imaginary and poetical parallels with the life and music of the most brilliant and original Italian pop icon from the 70s and 80s, Lucio Dalla.
Never-before-seen footage from Lucio Dalla overlaps with scenes of uncle Massimo daily life today, blending memory with fantasy. An intimate, affectionate, and visionary portrait of disability and one family’s relationship with it.
“My uncle Massimo is funny and complex. And above all he has a severe mental disability. As a child I thought not only that he resembled my favorite singer Lucio Dalla, but that actually he was Dalla, and that his playful madness would set us free”.
The filmmaker tells the story of his disabled uncle, drawing imaginary and poetical parallels with the life and music of the most brilliant and original Italian pop icon from the 70s and 80s, Lucio Dalla.
Never-before-seen footage from Lucio Dalla overlaps with scenes of uncle Massimo daily life today, blending memory with fantasy. An intimate, affectionate, and visionary portrait of disability and one family’s relationship with it.
Director’s note
I have wanted to make this film since my childhood, driven by the desire to preserve and share the complex surprises of growing up alongside my uncle. However, to authentically convey my experience and my uncle’s uniqueness, I realized I needed to go beyond mere facts and recover a vision I had as a child. Lucio Dalla, an artist whose music resonated deeply with both Massimo and me, then becomes an integral part of our narrative.
Drawing upon his private archives, we capture the essence of Dalla’s playful and whimsical nature, which resonated with the qualities I discovered and admired in my uncle. Simultaneously, through the archival footage that we have been recovering from numerous institutions involved in this film, I aspire to position my uncle’s story within the broader context of disability in Italy.
Director’s note
I have wanted to make this film since my childhood, driven by the desire to preserve and share the complex surprises of growing up alongside my uncle. However, to authentically convey my experience and my uncle’s uniqueness, I realized I needed to go beyond mere facts and recover a vision I had as a child. Lucio Dalla, an artist whose music resonated deeply with both Massimo and me, then becomes an integral part of our narrative.
Drawing upon his private archives, we capture the essence of Dalla’s playful and whimsical nature, which resonated with the qualities I discovered and admired in my uncle. Simultaneously, through the archival footage that we have been recovering from numerous institutions involved in this film, I aspire to position my uncle’s story within the broader context of disability in Italy.
With
with the support of
with the financial support of
sponsored by
in collaboration with
and under the patronage of
