Journey of self-discovery in “Signs of Life” by director Picarella

A delicate and moving story of friendship, relationships, and human connections, through the experience of an astronomer, Paolo Calcidese, playing himself in the film, fleeing from the routine of Milan to go and direct the astronomical observatory of a remote village in the Valle d’Aosta. “Signs of Life” is the new film by the director from Agrigento, Leandro Picarella: after being presented as a preview at the Rome Film Festival 2023, it is now coming to cinemas in Sicily starting today (May 12). Produced by Qoomoon with Rai Cinema, co-produced by Soap Factory and with the support of Film Commission Vallée d’Aoste, the work was the winner of the audience award for best feature film at the Trento Film Festival. “It is a film about empathy – explains the director – about the need for others to understand ourselves.”

An understanding that comes from meeting a humanity that until that moment the protagonist had only encountered in big cities and the scientific environment. The astrophysicist Paolo Calcidese moves to Lignan, a village with few inhabitants in the valley of Saint-Barthelemy in Valle d’Aosta: there he will take on the role of the sole caretaker of the astronomical observatory, until a technical incident forces him to interact with the locals.

“The film focuses on his need for relationships, contact, and community – Picarella continues – it has always been important for me to tell the reality of the border, convinced that it is precisely on these front lines that we can understand so much of the world we live in. After difficult years, where distance from others has also become distance from ourselves, it was important for me to tell simple stories of humanity and encounters.” The film will be presented today (May 12) in Agrigento at the Cinema Ciak at 8:45 pm. Then it will be the turn of Mazzara del Vallo on May 15 (Multisala Grillo); May 16 in Palermo (Rouge et Noir); Catania (Cinema King) and Sciaccia on May 18 (Multisala Badia Grande).