CREMA CASERTA
Mela Boev & Jonathan Gottesmann
Crema Caserta is an independent cinematic venture directed by Jonathan Gottesmann and written and produced by Mela Boev. The project took shape during their artist residency in San Potito, with the collaboration of local people and stemming from the intersection of everyday life and a poetic vision. During the first residency period (15 May-15 June 2018) almost all of the filming was carried out, while a second phase of audiovisual material editing was done in August.
Plot
A bitter and fantastic comedy, the film narrates the tale of a couple in a provincial town who decide to adopt a child, only to realize that not everything unfolds according to plan. The new family and the town's inhabitants will encounter not only an unconventional newcomer but also rock stars, alien presences, spiritual revelations, and a surprising finale that defies any predictions.
Just like in their previous works, music is the driving force of the narrative (among the protagonists, the Salerno band Tony Borlotti and his Flauers) and the captivating and provocative style blends pure experimentation with the stylistic conventions of popular cinema.
Meet the artists:
Partners in both life and work, Jonathan Gottesmann and Mela Boev are adventurous artists who thrive on risk. Their global travels have been a canvas for creation, continually pushing the boundaries between reality and imagination. Their connection with San Potito Sannitico began in 2018 during a 30-day artist residency to shoot Crema Caserta. After what they describe as “love at first sight”, they decided to relocate here for a couple of years. Describing their impact in San Potito is challenging; visiting reveals their starlight everywhere.
Mela, trained in research theatre, expanded her studies at the Academy of Bologna, EnsAD in Strasbourg, and the Ecole des Beaux Artes in Marseille. Relocating to London, she collaborated with projects like the experimental choral project Musarc, composers Claudia Molitor and Eloise Nancie Gynn, UbiK Teatro, and Teresa Cos. Her personal research on the myth-creative capacity of art involves writing, performance, and urban environments (Marseille Ville Invisible, Uncle Vania or The Mask of the World).
Jonathan, an Animation graduate from Tel Aviv, pursued his passion for analog techniques, developing an ironic and provocative directing style inspired by pop culture imagery and music. Collaborating with various Israeli music bands, particularly Energia Qholanitt, he created video clips and embarked on a visual-musical-performance experiment resulting in two medium-length films: I Scream Gelato (2011) and Scoring Mental (2013).
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The workspace C:L.A.C.