Città e paesaggio cinematografico. Il caso Venezia

Venice, the multifaceted city. Traditionally, Venetian film iconography runs the risk of embodying stereotypical images. On the one hand, Venice represented as the symbol of romanticism and dream, on the other hand, as the city of decadence, illness and dirt. And yet, cinematographic imaginary is not only built upon the myth of Venice, but also on more private, real and minor dimensions. Its amphibious nature, its strong historic and cultural stratification and its being-set for loneliness or passion give the city an anthropomorphic touch. Thus, the city becomes the mirror of characters’ souls. Such ambiguity makes Venice the place for Art representation, inextricably linked to accurate symbols and, paradoxically, suitable for any kind of fiction. The lagoon city has always fascinated directors from all over the world, thanks to its complicity with the true nature of cinema, made of tensions, counterpoints, oppositions, resonances, harmonies, balances and excesses.