Dal pianeta degli umani

Die neue Arbeit des renommierten Dokumentaristen Giovanni Cioni beschäftigt sich mit der Migration am Mittelmeer und mit der Villa des dämonischen Doktors Voronoff, der in den 1920er Jahren Experimente mit Affen durchführte, um den Menschen ewige Jugend zu verleihen.
Doch dies ist nur die oberste Schicht eines multidimensionalen Werkes, das manchmal an die Film-Essays von Chris Marker erinnert und seine Themen in assoziativen Bild-Ton-Montagen zu einem halluzinogenen Szenario zwischen Idylle und Alptraum verdichtet. Cioni beschwört eine grausame Realität im Gewand eines nostalgisch patinierten Märchens; immer wieder heißt es: C’era una volta – Es war einmal … (Thomas Mießgang)

In Anwesenheit von Giovanni Cioni.

The city of Ventimiglia holds many mysteries. The last Italian city before France, its mountains are full of secret migrant roads that lead to a richer Europe. What seems to be an expedition to the border by a deep-voiced traveler from outer space (or is it outer time?) ends being an exploration of this site’s history.
Ventimiglia was also home to Dr. Serve Voronoff for many years, a scientist that searched for the source of eternal life. He conducted his experiments there, which involved monkeys, humans, and transplanted testicles. This rapidly got intertwined with fascism, Nazism, close escapes, and decadence. How can we be surprised by this coincidence? The origin of our presence is indeed the turbulent, catastrophic twentieth century.
The images of DAL PIANETA DEGLI UMANI are shot in the first person, as if we were not only watching what the traveler sees but also gaining access to his thoughts. This closeness with an absolute otherness creates a strange distance, the one we need in order to access history as this strange force. Vico said it best: human beings are historical creatures because they shape history. (Lucía Salas)

In the presence of Giovanni Cioni.

Giovanni Cioni: NOUS/AUTRES (2003), IN PURGATORIO (2009), NAPOLI 24 (2010, Episode), GLI INTREPIDI (2012), PER ULISSE (2013), DAL RITORNO (2015)