Ester Tessuti, Cinema graduate, wins the MyFrame Award with a short film created during her academic journey at RUFA.
A prestigious recognition for Ester Tessuti, graduate of the three-year Cinema programme at RUFA, who won the MyFrame section award at the Myllennium Awards 2025 with the short film “2080”, created during her third year of study as part of the cinematography course, under the supervision of lecturer Alessio Maria Federici.
The award includes €10,000 in cash, €10,000 in post-production film services offered by Leone Film Group, and the screening of the short at Marateale 2025 – Premio Internazionale Basilicata.
“2080” is an original and poignant reflection on the relationship between identity and visibility in the digital age. In a world overwhelmed by technology, an elderly influencer finds herself in free fall as her fame fades. A dystopian, intimate, and universal tale.
One of the most complex aspects of producing the short film was finding the lead actress. As Ester explains, “I had a very specific face in mind and a kind of authentic energy. After several attempts, I started stopping elderly women on the street, gently explaining the project.”
The turning point came by chance, during a visit to a beauty salon, where she met Tiziana. “She wasn’t an actress, but she struck me immediately. She asked for a brochure, so I created one just for her—with the synopsis, reference images, and my directorial intentions. A few days later, she got back to me: she wanted to give it a try.”
The first audition was held in a RUFA classroom: “That’s when we realised it could really work.”
Despite having no prior experience in front of the camera, Tiziana approached the role with openness and determination, working alongside Ester to create a believable, delicate, and powerful performance.
The success of *2080* confirms the importance of experimentation, authorship, and the educational environment as a breeding ground for authentic projects capable of emerging on the contemporary scene.
Congratulations to Ester Tessuti and the entire team who made the creation of *2080* possible— a project born within the walls of RUFA and shaped by talent, vision, and collaboration.
Production crew and team:
Screenplay, direction and production: Ester Tessuti
Cinematography: Mario Travaglio
Editing and Color Grading: Enrico Musso
Sound: Simone Sabia
Audio mix: Simone Cilio
Graphic animations: Silvia Savoca
Camera operators: Nicolò Edoardo Pais and Jacopo Cerroni
Line producer: Adriana Novielli
Assistant director: Tommaso Merolla
Second assistant director: Claudia Sagona
Script supervisor: Arianna Proietti Mancini
Set design: Claudia de Palma, Csilla Szalay
Costume design: Elisa Salamone
Technical assistants: Sebastiano Rolfi and Simeon Stoilov
Cast: Tiziana Purchi, Giovanni Sansonetti, Alessandro Di Benedetto
