Dead Star

What shines the brightest lives always on the edge of darkness.

What are you drinking?

Water.

Since when do they sell water in cans?

Since when plastic has become the modern-day evil.

Plastic is not the evil.

The people are.

Well, Stella.

As I explained you last night, our film is drifting.

There are plot holes, the main character is missing,

and I realized that I'm unable to create a character without knowing the actress.

During casting, we saw many actresses,

some of them even better than you,

but Claudio is not looking for this.

He is looking for something different.

I need true emotions.

I need real stories, real people.

We already live in a world of lies,

I don't want to create more fiction within fiction.

Have you read the script yet?

Yes, is a classic noir, nothing new...

It sounds like a story I know very well.

The story of my life...

It's like your movie, but it really happened.

Would you like to tell us about it?

Do you have 60 minutes?

If it's worth it, yes.

I want to tell you the story of my own death.

You don't look dead at all.

There are many ways to be dead.

Yes, well, the heart don't have to stop beating.

Have you ever thought that we can still see the light of stars that have already died a long time ago?

Yes, I have thought about it.

The story begins two years ago. I was living in Milan.

The sudden death of my father forced me to return to Apulia,

where the person I hate most on the face of the earth was waiting for me

my mother.

Come in!

I made some crepes for dinner, do you want one?

Only if we are alone.

Yes, finally...

Thank goodness, I couldn't take it anymore.

And what could I do?

It was a good vigil but I hate our relatives.

Well, come on, dinner is ready.

I'm coming.

You always make me crepes when I'm sad.

Someday you will have to make it to me.

Yes, but at a certain age you have to be careful about diabetes.

What a bitch!

Why didn't you come home earlier?

When you called me to tell me about dad I was on set, I was working on a film.

I was so upset that I had to drop everything.

But then I talked to the director and he said they would have finished the scenes with the other actors

and that I could have continued next month.

And what is this new project about?

It's an independent movie.

They don't even allow me to take pictures on set.

It will be distributed only in the foreign market...

This sounds like a big deal, I'm surprised!

What do you mean, sorry?

I don't know if this is good for you, Stella, but it's your life.

Am I mistaken or did you tell me last night that you had never passed a casting?

That's right.

I used to tell my mother a lot of bullshit.

I could never have admitted in front of her that I was a failure.

I escaped immediately! From the vigil!

I took a nice tour among the old memories of my youth.

I didn't want to stay alone,

so I asked my friends Stevan and Nora to meet in the abandoned RV like old times.

However, no one showed up in the end...

Did that record player work for real?

Of course!

It's so fuckin' punk to run away from your father's vigil to smoke joints in an abandoned RV.

Everyone faces pain in their own way.

And now the most important person in my life is entering the scene...

Tommaso!

We were high school sweethearts, he was the coolest guy in school.

He was the first person I contacted as soon as I returned to Apulia.

I didn't want to admit it, but I was still in love with him.

But there was just a little problem...

Married?

More than married.

So, some habits die hard...

If you only knew how much I missed this place!

There is so much peace here, something you could never find in Milan...

How long have you been back?

Some days.

So you couldn't even take a bath in the sea...

But I can't swim!

Anyway, I would never do it in this weather, not even in summer.

You are the only one in the whole Salento who can't swim.

But what did you do as a child?

I liked watching other guys having fun.

So, what are you hiding from?

Even these things never change.

I'm hiding from my mother.

And what about you?

If you only knew...

When I was little, I hoped that once I became an adult, my mother would have stopped teasing me.

And here I am! Having the same problems as when I was fifteen.

Well, you are not alone! I used to believe that marriage was the achievement of absolute happiness.

And yet it only took me one year to kill all expectations.

I used to have a job in Taranto,

then my company went bankrupt,

and now I can only help her in her beauty salon.

We share everything, anxiety, stress, everything... We are always together!

And what about you?

Well, I have two projects going on now.

It was hard at first, however, I made it.

It must be really cool to live there.

In Milan, no star is shining.

On the other hand, they shine too much here.

And they are so far away...

Good morning! I'll be right over...

That's it!

A smooth crease, right?

Yes.

Can you work on it?

Of course.

Here we go...

- Back to the high school look? - Why not?

I remember that you were the girl with the smoothest hair in the whole class.

Well, I got tired of wavy hair, I like changing!

Well, your curls looked great on you.

And then you got blue hair...

Don't tease me, you had dreads!

What did he say?

It's a secret!

- Do you want one? - No, I quit.

C'mon! You never quit smoking for real.

- Do you believe in luck? - It depends on what you mean.

People don't have the nerve to admit how important luck is.

We think we can control our lives, but most of the time we are just victims of events.

We can find comfort in illusions.

We are all so convinced that things will go in the right way...

Then, there is that something that forces you to wake up from your narcissistic dream.

And you can't do anything but reckon with reality.

You are so cynical!

- You weren't like this a few years ago! - You've never been interested in knowing me deeply!

Exactly like you!

Maybe we are not that different...

Why?

To tell the truth, I had great expectations but reality shattered them all.

So things are not going the way you told me?

Nope.

But not admitting reality makes things more bearable...

Well, I wasn't that sincere either.

I told you the sweetened version of things, but I'm actually on a ship that is about to sink.

What do you mean?

Most married couples are bound by a simple contract, which can be canceled within a few months.

But that wasn't enough for us and we made another one.

Do you know how Giorgia opened her beauty salon?

Hypothecating our only home.

- Is business going well at least? - Not at all!

We barely cover the salon's expenses,

We are late with the mortgage payment...

If I could only convince her to sell the salon...

At least, we will be sure not to end up on the street next year.

And then she told me:

"You know, I would be less lonely if you knew how to be a husband!"

- Is she mocking me? - Why are we talking about her?

You are right!

I don't want to spoil our date...

It's just that she pisses me off!

I can't even relax for a couple of hours.

- Are you angry? - No...

Hey love, I can't talk now.

You know I hate using the phone while driving... it's dangerous.

All right, ciao.

You looked very uncomfortable.

You know why.

Would she be very annoyed if she knew we were having dinner together?

Well, she doesn't like me to hide things from her.

You know I think we should do something we enjoy.

Sounds good!

I really need some fresh air.

Shall we take your boat?

Giorgia would find out...

Do you still like photography?

Yes, however, I'm out of practice.

I'm in no shape to take pictures.

You need to be in shape to take some pictures?

Analogue cameras can be very heavy!

Anyway, I think you are talented.

I remember, you used to come to my father's darkroom to develop photos.

Do you still have the darkroom?

Yes, but it is unused.

No one brings me rolls anymore.

What if we try to give it a new life?

Why not?

Ok! Ok!

Let's go slower, please!

Go on, stand there!

Wait, wait.

You are distracting me!

This is my favorite one!

We did a good job!

I love this one...

Why?