Casati Stampa Murders inspire De Sica’s New Film
TORONTO – With the opulent lifestyles of notorious Roman emperors like Nero, Tiberius and Caligula well documented, the contemporary Italian psyche is properly guarded against the lure of depravity. But not totally freed from it. The Casati Stampa murders which occurred in the 1970s were a reminder that some in high society were keeping degeneracy alive and well in the 20th century. And now those murders are the inspiration for Andrea De Sica’s new film The Eyes of Others.
Andrea is the grandson of filmmaking legend Vittorio De Sica, the son of musical composer Manuel De Sica – who scored some of Vittorio’s films – and the nephew of comedic actor and filmmaker Cristian De Sica. Belonging to a long line of cinema royals, it’s easy to see how one of the wealthiest and noble Italian families served as a muse for Andrea’s new film noir melodrama. But while the Stampa murders were an inspiration, the film is not a retelling of the events.
The events included a triple murder, perpetrated by Camillo II Casati Stampa after returning home to his wife Anna Fallarino and one of her lovers, Massimo Minorenti. On August 30th 1970, Stampa shot his wife and Minorenti with his hunting shotgun before turning the gun on himself and committing suicide. While the murders shocked the nation, Camillo and Anna’s lewd lifestyle of wild parties and group sex added another layer of scandal.
Andrea De Sica spoke about the genesis of the film during its October 18th premiere screening at this year’s Rome Film Festival. “The idea behind the film was to take a clear, sharp image of the 1960s, their carefree attitude, and instead try to distort it to tell something that has always been hidden behind that image”.
The director preferred not to bury himself in all that’s been written on the murders, but instead explored the places where it took place. “When I discovered this story, I decided to go to Zannone alone [where Camillo and Anna had their parties]…I followed a path that climbed up a sun-scorched mountain”. De Sica envisioned his film at this place. “We had to tell the story of a tragedy that unfolds under the blinding sun of an island, the seasons of a relationship that turns into a nightmare, the opportunity to explore the border between love and violence”.
The plot follows a young woman’s arrival on an island owned by a wealthy Marquis, which marks the beginning of a passionate, erotic and obsessive love affair – that turns violent. Key scenes were shot between Ponza and Monte Argentario and also in Venice along the canals. Its theatrical release is planned for March, under the Vision Distribution banner.
Images of Jasmine Trinca and Filippo Timi courtesy of Vision Distribution
Massimo Volpe is a filmmaker and freelance writer from Toronto: he writes reviews of Italian films/content on Netflix
