Spira Mirabilis

Opening with French actor Marina Vlady reciting excerpts from Jorge Luis Borges’ short story “El inmortal” in an abandoned theatre, SPIRA MIRABILIS unfolds as a lyrical meditation on the eternal theme of immortality—humanity’s enduring quest to transcend its own natural limit. Presented through a series of seemingly unrelated vignettes and devoid of overarching narration, the film gradually reveals its philosophical thread: a Japanese marine biologist studies the so-called “immortal jellyfish”; Native American elders safeguard spiritual traditions; Milanese artisans restore sacred statues; and two Swiss musician-inventors craft ethereal instruments. Anchored in their devotion to observational detail, these moments form a contemplative collage of evocative imagery and soundscapes, resonating across different cultures and disciplines. The boundaries between science, art and spirituality dissolve into a seamless, unified whole. Directed by Massimo D’Anolfi and Martina Parenti—who both also oversaw sound, editing, cinematography and production—this graceful, spiralling work is at once a sensorial journey and a profound inquiry into humanity’s obsession with the eternal. (Hyun Jin Cho)

In the presence of Massimo D’Anolfi & Martina Parenti.

Massimo D’Anolfi, Martina Parenti (selection): I PROMESSI SPOSI (2007), GRANDI SPERANZE (2009), IL CASTELLO (2011), MATERIA OSCURA (2013), L’INFINITA FABBRICA DEL DUOMO (2015), SPIRA MIRABILIS (2016), BLU (2018, K), GUERRA E PACE (2020), UNA GIORNATA NELL’ARCHIVIO DI PIERO BOTTONI (2022, K), BESTIARI, ERBARI, LAPIDARI (2024)