Francesca Lolli's 'Una tristezza' Brings Video Art to Bollate Prison

Francesca Lolli's short film 'Una tristezza' was created over three years of voluntary workshops at Bollate Prison in Milan, organized by the Associazione Cooperativa Articolo 3, led by Chiara Maffioletti. The project involved inmates from the fourth wing, dedicated to those nearing release or studying. Lolli acted as educator, companion, and director, using video art to explore the emotion of sadness through body, gesture, and image. The film consists of five acts, starting with body investigation and silence, moving through color and waiting. It was screened in June 2026 in the prison courtyard, accompanied by poetry readings and performances by the inmates. Actress Benedetta Ceschi portrays the sadness that clings to lives. Lolli describes video art as a powerful tool to make sadness tangible and shared. The work is not a documentary but a poetic experience that shifts focus from the prison setting to the human interactions within.