Premiere of The Lack
Q&A with MASBEDO following the screening
June 4, 2015, 9:15pm
Walter Reade Theater
165 West 65th Street
New York, NY 10023
After much international success, The Lack, directed by Italian video artists MASBEDO, has been selected for the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s prestigious annual showcase, Open Roads: New Italian Cinema (June 4–11). The film premieres on June 4 at 9:15pm, and will be followed by a Q&A with the artists.
Produced by In Between Art Film, in association with VivoFilm, The Lack’s journey began with its critically acclaimed debut at the 71st Venice International Film Festival in 2014. Since its debut, the work has been presented in several other major film festivals, including RIFF-Reykjavik Film Festival; CPH: DOX Copenhagen International Film Festival; Italian Cinema (Istanbul); the Italian Film Festival (Barcelona); MitteleCinemaFest (Bratislava); and Cinema Made in Italy (London). The Lack, MASBEDO’s first feature-length film, has also been screened at many world-class art institutions such as MAMbo (Bologna); Fondazione Merz (Turin); MADRE (Naples); Al Serkal, as part of Art Dubai; Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève (Geneva); and MAXXI (Rome).
Founded by Beatrice Bordone Bulgari, In Between Art Film produces independent projects that exist at the intersection of art and cinema—an increasingly prevalent synergy, as more artists explore film as a medium and film professionals gain inspiration from contemporary art practices. In this vein, Beatrice Bulgari began The Lack as an experimental piece, writing the screenplay together with Iranian artist Mitra Divshali. After bringing the idea to Nicolò Massazza and Jacopo Bedogni (MASBEDO), the group worked closely to develop the script and direct the film with a minimal crew, allowing for an uninhibited creative process.
The film explores four variations on the theme of “lack,” featuring six female protagonists who—within concurrent stories—search for meaning to fill the inner void in their lives. In the first episode, the character “Eve” must work through the pain of abandonment and the obsession of love that turns into a violent, yet ultimately cathartic struggle. “Xiu” embarks on a symbolic, dreamlike journey in the second section, while in the third story “Greta” and “Anja” face the difficult, yet necessary process of detachment that ultimately transforms into the possibility of hope, brought by the young “Nour.” In the final chapter, “Sarah” experiences recurring visions during an on screen psychoanalytic session. Set outside of conventional time, these distinct narratives take place within a backdrop of roaring nature with its harsh landscapes that is at once apocalyptic and regenerative.
Tickets for the June 4 screening of The Lack are available on the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s website. An encore screening of the film will take place on June 11 at 4:45pm.
About MASBEDO
Working together since 1999, MASBEDO, aka Nicolò Massazza and Jacopo Bedogni, express themselves through the language of video art, utilizing various forms such as performance, theater, installation, photography and, most recently, cinema. In Italy they are recognized among the most important video artists and innovators in the field of contemporary art. Important exhibitions include a major retrospective at Fondazione Merz in Turin (2014) and a solo show a the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Bologna (2013) as well as the 7th Berlin Biennale (2012); Art Basel in Basel (2011); the MAXXI in Rome (2011); and the 53rd Venice Biennale (2009). Their work has also been featured at several international film festivals over the last few years, including Venice, Locarno, Rome, Istanbul, Lisbon, Athens, Miami and Reykjavík.
About Open Roads: New Italian Cinema 2015
One of the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s most popular annual programs, Open Roads has served as the leading North American showcase of contemporary Italian cinema for the past 14 years. This exceptionally strong and diverse edition includes the latest work from established veterans alongside promising new talents from both the commercial and independent spheres, with in-person appearances at many screenings.
For further information or to receive a press pass for The Lack premiere, please contact:
Liza Eliano
T +1 646 589 0921 / liza.eliano [at] fitzandco.com
