Join us on March 16 at RUFA Space for the screening of Piena di Grazia, directed by filmmaker and RUFA alumna Andree Lucini.
March 16, 2026, 6:00 PM – RUFA Space, Via degli Ausoni 7 – Free admission
RUFA opens its doors to the talent of its graduates with RUFAlumni Showcase, the format dedicated to giving visibility to the artistic and professional projects of the Academy’s former students. Exhibitions, screenings, installations and talks become opportunities to highlight the value of a learning journey that continues beyond graduation, offering alumni a space for dialogue and exchange with the RUFA community.
The next event will take place on Monday, March 16, 2026 at 6:00 PM at the RUFA Space – Via degli Ausoni 7, featuring the screening of the documentary Piena di Grazia, written and directed by RUFA alumna Andree Lucini.
The event will open with a brief introduction, followed by the screening of the film and a final Q&A with the director and the producer.
Piena di Grazia — Synopsis
Nicole, Giada and Mariateresa are three eleven-year-old girls. In their town, Palmi, in Calabria, a unique celebration has taken place for five hundred years: the Varia. For this occasion, a young girl is chosen by the citizens to climb onto a sacred chariot seventeen meters high and represent the Virgin Mary ascending to heaven.
Like many girls in Palmi, the three protagonists dream of becoming the new Animella. However, the requirements are strict: long, straight black hair, dark but not too dark skin, as well as courage and grace.
Through their eyes, poised between childhood and adolescence, the documentary explores universal themes such as the relationship with one’s appearance, the desire to be seen and the fear of not being enough. The voices of the people of Palmi reveal their deep love for this centuries-old tradition, along with the contradictions it carries.
Director’s notes
The greatest challenge in making this project was to suspend judgment. Our intention was to tell the story of the protagonists without imposing morals or theses, leaving the audience free to decide what to think.
During filming I immersed myself in a world full of contrasts. On the one hand, the deep religious feeling I encountered in Palmi, which is quite distant from my own perspective, especially regarding the dogmas surrounding the female figure; on the other, my admiration for a community capable of preserving and passing down an ancient tradition, while keeping it alive in people’s hearts.
The film also stems from a precise aesthetic research: portraying the Varia festival as a contemporary fairy tale, creating an organic look that recalls film stock and conveys the suspended, almost magical atmosphere of the celebration.
Credits
Director and writer: Andree Lucini
Production: Désirée Manetti – Mompracem Film
Director of Photography: Claudio Cascavilla
Editing: Ginevra Iuorio
Second Unit Director: Sebastina d’Ayala Valva
Colorist: Marco Valerio Caminiti
Produced by Mompracem Film with the support of the Film Commission Calabria
Distributed by Nexo Digital