ONE TO WATCH•ANDREA PIETRO MUNAFÒ

CARE TO DANCE?

Filmography (so far) DP: TV series… La Mala Banditi A Milano (2022, 2 x episodes). Shorts… Il Barbiere Complottista (A Conspiracy Man) (2022), Atto Di Dolore (2021), Barbablu (2021), La Bicicletta (2021), Notte Romana (Roman Nights) (2021), What Are The Odds? (2020). Documentary short... Une Autre Chance (2016).

Accolades: Il Barbiere Complottista (A Conspiracy Man), Cannes 2022 Cinefondation Award winner. Notte Romana (Roman Nights) best short film nominee at 2022 David Di Donatello and Nastri d’Argento awards, and 2021 Venice Film Festival International Critics Week.

When did you discover you wanted to be a cinematographer?

I don’t remember an exact moment, where I said to myself, ‘I want to become a cinematographer’. But the first photographic moment was when I was about 12, after my mum came back from the supermarket and gave me a plastic all-in-one, film camera that she won when she bought a box of beers.

After that, I just started taking pictures of everything – school trips, going out with friends. I’m from a really small village near Milan, and there was not too much entertainment for a young kid, so taking photos became something to do each day. During high-school I studied IT, but then realised it was not my dream. So I went to a high-school in Milan and did a course in cinema and TV studies.

Where did you train?

I mainly studied at Centro Sperimentale Di Cinematografia in Rome. I really enjoyed my time there, and living in one of the best cities in the world. Before that I was working as an AC, and did really small jobs as a DP in Milan, shooting mostly commercials.

I learned a lot at University, mostly for two reasons. The first was that we were just six per course. I found the best people to share my three years studying cinematography, and couldn’t have asked for better. The second was that the cinematography course was held by master cinematographer Giuseppe Lanci AIC. Google him and see what he has done in the history of cinema (a lot, trust me!). The most important thing he taught me was about the human side of the job, how to collaborate and respect other people working with you. Making movies is a collaboration between different people and departments. Also, our tutor, Sandro Camerata, is really a good guy, and helped me a lot in the making of my school short film. He has lots of contacts and at the end of my time there he helped to make things happen.

What are your favourite films?

Psycho (1960, dir. Alfred Hitchcock, DP John L. Russell ASC) – I know, not too original perhaps, but I love it because it is one of the first films my parents encouraged me watch. That explains a lot :)

Leviathan (2014, dir. Andrey Zvyagintsev, DP Mikhail Krichman) – I found it amazingly shot, with the framing and the lighting, and the story is something really deep. After I watched it, I had to take a walk. I also like also Zvyagintsev’s The Banishment (2007, DP Mikhail Krichman) and all of Andrei Tarkovsky’s films.

Autumn Girl (2021, dir. Katarzyna Klimkiewicz, DP Weronika Bilska) – I simply love it!

Who are your DP/industry role models?

Darius Khondji AFC ASC – I love his attitude towards cinematography and his work. From what I have read about him, especially the beautiful interview that came out in a book called “Conversations With Darius Khondji”, written by Jordan Mintzer, I really loved what he said about the human and technical sides of cinematography.

You can have the most sophisticated tools… but without a good eye, it won’t be unique

Mikhail Krichman – I just love his work on films like Leviathan and The Banishment.

Images: BTS photos from Il Barbiere Complottista by Angelo Palombini.

What’s the best advice you were ever given?

Just try… something will happen!

Where do you get your visual inspirations?

Everywhere! But mostly, of course, from photography, paintings, books, music, etc.. I have a folder on my PC where, when I discover new artists, I store their paintings, pictures and short bios. Sometimes I get inspiration just walking around my neighbourhood, or going somewhere new. So it’s really from anywhere.

Tell us your most hilarious faux pas?

I have made a lot of errors in my life, but none too precious or massive so far.

What is your most treasured cinematographic possession?

My eyes. I always remind myself that what really changes everything is the ability to give a project a unique style (whether it’s a short film, music video, documentary or a commercial). You can have the most sophisticated tools to make something really good, but without a good eye, it won’t be unique.

What was the biggest challenge on your latest production?

My biggest challenge was not on my latest production, but when we shot the short Notte Romana (Roman Nights), directed by Valerio Ferrara, who also directed A Conspiracy Man. Notte Romana was our second-year short film at Centro Sperimentale in Rome, about upper class guys who find themselves in trouble with guys from a lower class neighbourhood, because of a possible relationship with a girl.

We were looking for a bar in the centre of Rome to represent the social distance between the rich and poor protagonists. All the places we went to were asking for too much money, and we were late in asking permission from the local council to put a crane and all of our other filming gear on the street. Five days before starting the shoot we didn’t have the location. After another day of location scouting we came back to university with nothing.

So I decided to have a walk around the university, to try to think of a solution. I walked and walked, and I saw a dumper in the parking lot beside the rooms of the sound department. I took a photo, went to Valerio and the production designer, Nike Paolucci, and said to them that this spot could work.

At the start they were a little scared that the place couldn’t work, but then Nike did some sketches, and after that we decided to shoot there. Of course, the university is not in the city centre, the buildings didn’t help either, but we had all the room we needed for camera movement and Valerio had all the time to have how many takes he wanted.

Don’t sit down! Shoot, explore new stuff and try

Tell us your greatest extravagance?

I spend money on lenses, some vintage lenses or lenses that I find on the internet in hidden places around the world.

What are the best/worst things about being a DP?

Best: doing your passion as your work, and travelling to different places to shoot. I also like working with different crew and directors, I think you can learn a lot.

Worst: I’m sure there are some, but for now I don’t know of any.

Give us three adjectives that best describe you and your approach to cinematography?

Respectful. Determined. Serious (with a dose of Fun).

If you weren’t a DP, what job would you be doing now?

Maybe running a bar, a place where people can meet, chat, have drinks and enjoy time together.

What are your aspirations for the future?

To shoot my first feature film, and put all my passion into it. I love narrative work. The whole process – pre, during and after the shoot – keeps my mind alive and I learn a lot.

What advice do you have for other people who want to become cinematographers?

Don’t sit down! Shoot, explore new stuff and try. I like the craftsmanship of making movies. Sometimes I find myself building lenses or building filters with broken glass.

For me the challenges were in not only about avoiding it looking fake, but were also getting the lighting right, as the location didn’t have any street lights and was in total darkness. So we had to add everything to make it work.

I spoke a lot with Nike about using practicals, and I also used two practicals I made myself from old street lamps I found. I think at the end it worked out well. It got selected at the Venice Film Festival, so people must have believed it as a real place. That’s the magic of cinema and collaboration for you :)

Tell us your hidden talent/party trick?

I love meeting people. All of my friends tell me I’m the guy to take to parties when people want to dance.

Away from work, what are your greatest passions?

I love walking and getting lost. I also love making music.

For you, what are the burning issues in cinematography, filmmaking and cinema, that need to be addressed?

Unfortunately there are a lot of big issues, such as women who don’t have the same rights as men, and safety at work. I hope the new generation of filmmakers, which I’m part of, will change these. We have to!

What is your URL/website address?

www.andreapietromunafo.com

How do you like to “waste” your time?

I like gardening and growing own vegetables on my small balcony. Watching something growing day-byday is really satisfying.