[Exclusive] Netflix's Sweet Offer Rejected as a 'Symbolic Act'... Director Nanni Moretti Says "I Believe in the Power of Cinema"

New Film 'Challanan Naeillo' Director Nanni Moretti Interview
Appears as a Film Director, Sharing Autobiographical Stories
"A Story That Still Believes in the Power, Charm, and Magic of Movies Despite the Difficult Times for Cinemas"

In his 47th year since debut, veteran and maestro director Nanni Moretti (70) remains an active and provocative figure in the Italian film industry. Since his debut in 1976 with the film I Am Self-Sufficient, which captured the anger of the 1968 revolutionary generation when he was a member of the Communist Party, he has consistently targeted both right-wing and sometimes left-wing colleagues, delivering comedic yet deeply reflective messages about the absurdities of society without sacred cows for nearly half a century.

Actor Mathieu Amalric, who appeared as a producer in the film 'Brilliant Tomorrow,' and Nanni Moretti, who served as both director and lead actor.
[Photo by Sacher Film]

His new film A Brighter Tomorrow was presented to Korean audiences at the 28th Busan International Film Festival. Although he could not attend in person due to directing a theater production in Italy, he showcased his enduring humor, imagination, and sharp perspective. In an era when the status of cinema is under threat, we asked him in writing why he chose to tell a story about filmmakers and what he thinks the future of cinema will be amid the flood of diverse video content such as OTT platforms and YouTube.

In his fourteenth feature film, Moretti appears as the director Giovanni. In the film, Giovanni is preparing a movie about the conscience of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) in 1956. Despite the Soviet Union’s brutal suppression of Hungary’s independence movement, the PCI still could not sever ties with the Soviets, and Giovanni’s anger at this situation seems as relevant today as ever. Giovanni’s struggle to present an alternate history through a film within the film faces increasing crises, including conflicts with his wife and the arrest of the producer.

Regarding the background of directing this work, he explained, “I often tell stories about myself in my films, and through that, fortunately, I have been able to talk about others as well. Many of my films have been very personal, but luckily many have been universal and commonly accepted, and I hope this film will be such a work as well.”

In the film, Giovanni’s wife and producer Paola wants to end their 40-year marriage because her husband is solely absorbed in his films. Desperate for a ‘cut’ sign in their relationship, she supports their livelihood by producing crude gangster movies instead of her husband’s unprofitable films. The oblivious husband intrudes uninvited on her film set, stopping the shooting of a mob execution scene just before filming and delivers a long lecture to young directors and actors about whether this scene is as violent and bad as Krzysztof Kie?lowski’s short film about murder. Paola soon confesses to a psychotherapist that she plans to leave her husband. The real-life Nanni Moretti focuses on the frustration faced by a producer wife who wants to control everything in life as much as on the film set.

Still from the movie 'Brilliant Tomorrow'.
[Photo by Sacher Film]

Meanwhile, in a scene where Giovanni calls architect Renzo Piano and director Martin Scorsese to support his argument during his long speech, there is an ambiguity about whether this man is Giovanni or Nanni Moretti himself. The audience soon wonders if this work is an autobiographical summation of his career. However, Moretti emphasizes, “This film is not a summation but a story about strong belief.” He defines A Brighter Tomorrow as “a story about still believing in the power, charm, and magic of cinema, even in an era when movie theaters are facing great difficulties.” He adds, “Of course, the cinema I’m talking about here is the cinema you watch in theaters.”

His elaboration can be interpreted as a critique of the significant changes global OTT platforms have brought to the film industry. OTT, emerging as a new distribution channel, offers a stable production environment through rights trading, but creators and producers lose the potential for maximum profit in the process, and theaters face a crisis.

Giovanni’s attitude when meeting a Netflix executive in the film reflects Moretti’s own stance. His rejection of a tempting offer may seem precarious from an individual perspective, but symbolically for the film industry, it is a small yet strong step worthy of support. In reality, Moretti maintains a one-man production system where he directs, produces, writes scripts, acts, and distributes. Since 1991, he has also owned and operated the 360-seat Nuovo Sacher theater in Rome.

He defines himself as “not a director, but someone who makes films when there is something he wants to say.” When asked if this declaration still holds true, he explains, “Yes. I am a director, a cinema owner, a production company head, an administrator who ran the Torino Film Festival for two years, and someone who organizes debut film festivals for young filmmakers at my theater in the summer.” He adds, “The reason I do all these things is not out of any mission or obligation to make quality films, but simply because I want to. I believe my work as a director is expanded and completed through these activities.”

Pianist Yuseonhee Yoo and director Nanni Moretti, who appeared in the film 'Brilliant Tomorrow.'
[Photo by the individual]

The film attracted attention for featuring Korean actress Yoo Sun-hee as a producer. She was a pianist with no acting experience but was cast through an audition and captivated European audiences. Moretti’s comment, “I often work with non-professional actors, which has been the case since my start with I Am Self-Sufficient,” is understandable considering his previous films starring non-professional actors in leading roles.

He insists, “As long as the theaters I operate exist, I will write and direct films for those theaters.” Although the reality facing cinema is bleak, he continues to dream of a brighter tomorrow and moves forward with unwavering faith.