CLAUDIO BELLANTE, ALL-ROUND FILMMAKER

Actor, producer and screenwriter Claudio Bellante is the proof that desire is power, and that with perseverance and dedication you can fulfill your dreams! “I have always self-documented a lot, and I have always tried to observe films, “break them down”, study them, and analyze the dialogues.”

Claudio Bellante is what can be defined as an all-round filmmaker, in the true sense of the term. He speaks of his profession with ease, simplicity and balance and his words overflow with the passion he feels for film and for what he does. A citizen of the world, he has been living and working in New York for several years, writing, acting and producing films like Il diario dell’amore (The Book of Love, 2016), Parola di Dio (The Student, presented as an official selection of the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival, 2016) and Club Life, 2015 which he describes with great affection because, this film, represents his debut in this profession. We talk about his beginnings at method acting schools, his future projects, and what inspires him in everyday life.

Have you always thought about having a career in the entertainment world?

I’ve always wanted to! From an early age my dream was to be an actor, in fact, when I was living in Milan, before moving to New York, I studied method acting for seven years. I attended several schools and seminars presented by acting teachers who came to Italy to teach the so-called American method. Obviously when you love something you end up wanting to know it from all angles, so I started to take scriptwriting courses and to get interested in production. I have always selfdocumented a lot, and I have always tried to observe films, “break them down”, study them, and analyze the dialogues.

In addition to having acted, you have undertaken a career both as a writer and a screenwriter. For which of these three do you feel more of an affinity?

That’s the perfect follow-up question to my previous answer. I went to America having the actor’s dream and that was my main motivation! There I met a friend, who is now a well-known producer, actor and screenwriter, who was making a film about the NYC night life. I have worked 15-20 years in this milieu, organizing international events in dance clubs and local clubs, often joining forces with America and with stylists such as Dolce and Gabbana or Armani. Just like my friend, who for 20 years was my go to regarding New York nightlife, and who, with his circle of contacts, managed to make his way into the film world. I did the same, and thanks to this great friendship, he asked me to make this film called Club Life, which also came out

in Italy. For me acting was my main interest. In fact, I initially had to do only that, but given our common experience he asked me to help him make the whole film. I helped him organize the production, I found the director, we recreated scenes of the NY night life, we involved some celebrities, I gave him advice on the script, and served as a consultant. And both he and I ended our careers in the night life and started new ones with this film, a very symbolic as thing.

From what I understand you’re unable to identify which of the three passions you love the most, because they are all on the same level ...

Exactly because I think that when you really love something you have to do your best to achieve it. One of my future goals is to direct, because they are all different types of expressions; whether I’m behind the camera, whether I’m in front of it or I’m writing, it’s always the top!

You’ve been living in New York for a long time, what is your relationship with Italy today? What do you miss most of our country?

Today I appreciate the same things that a foreigner appreciates about Italy: the values, the sea, the food. Working in Italy has become difficult now, because Italians (as wonderful as they are) do not help each other and this is something that I do not miss! But, for example, I miss eating mozzarella, real mozzarella, not fake (laughs), I miss swimming in one of our magnificent beach spots and the splendors of our country. In New York, in fact, I have a large company of friends all nostalgic for Italy, but they stay here. (laughs).

Is there a place in Italy that you favor? Or that for some reason remains in your heart?

No place in particular, honestly, but my family comes from Sicily and so the memories of my summers as a child are related to there. That is something that has always made me proud to have come from there.

Today I appreciate the same things that a foreigner appreciates about Italy: the values, the sea, the food... I miss swimming in one of our magnificent beach spots and the splendors of our country.

Your cinematic passions? What inspired you? Is there an Italian filmmaker or actor on your list?

It may be stating the obvious but I’m a big fan of the “Crime” genre and then Scorsese and Coppola, who are truly masters. As far as actors, I have always been inspired by De Niro and Al Pacino that perhaps are considered the stereotypes par excellence of the socalled Italian-american. In my opinion, they are truly technical geniuses! If you look at the Scorsese films you can clearly see how the rhythm of the scenes and the cinematographic language that they have are incredible; above all, I believe that one’s personality when one is young is also created by the influences that come from the films that one looks at or, from the music that one listens to. These experiences create your outlook as a person, you start looking at everything from that point of view. For me it was so, you know when you mess around with friends, maybe your humor is connected with the kind of visual language that comes to you from the influence of those movies.

What advice would you give younger people who decide to become actors? Or how, like in your case also try the world of production and screenplays?

Use the money that you would spend to go to school in Italy to buy airplane tickets and go abroad. Try to get into a foreign school, even a school that costs less but also includes the price of the ticket and the hotel!

What are your future plans?

I have just finished writing a film with a “Russian mafia” theme. The film is American, but with the Russian language and traditions. We are looking for the director and the actors before starting pre-production. It is my creation, I wrote it and I will produce it, but I will not be directing yet. But one day I hope to have the time and the opportunity to get behind the camera.