Hugo Pratt Documentary 'Il desiderio di essere inutile' to Premiere at Venice Biennale
On Saturday, September 12, at 3 PM, the Sala Casinò located in the Palazzo del Casinò on the Lido di Venezia will host an out-of-competition screening of Stefano Knuchel's documentary 'Il desiderio di essere inutile - Hugo a Venezia' as part of the Venice Biennale, alongside the Settimana Internazionale della Critica and the Giornate degli Autori. This film pays tribute to comic artist Hugo Pratt, whose centenary will be observed in 2027. It wraps up a trilogy that delves into Pratt's artistic vision influenced by his experiences with travel and culture. The title reflects Pratt's views on art and life. Pratt (1927-1995), known for creating Corto Maltese, elevated comics to literary status, exploring themes of identity, freedom, and travel.
Key facts
- Special screening of Stefano Knuchel's documentary 'Il desiderio di essere inutile - Hugo a Venezia' on September 12 at 3 PM in Sala Casinò, Palazzo del Casinò, Lido di Venezia.
- The screening is organized by the Venice Biennale, Settimana Internazionale della Critica, and Giornate degli Autori.
- The film is produced by Fiumi Film and concludes a trilogy on Hugo Pratt, following 'Hugo in Africa' (2009) and 'Hugo in Argentina' (2021).
- The documentary features archival materials, photographs, unpublished documents, and exclusive recordings of conversations between Pratt and biographer Dominique Petitfaux.
- Testimonies in the film include Patrizia Zanotti, Dominique Petitfaux, Thierry Thomas, and Marco Steiner.
- The title references Pratt's expression 'Il desiderio di essere inutile' and the book of conversations with Petitfaux.
- The screening celebrates the centenary of Pratt's birth, which will occur in 2027.
- Hugo Pratt (1927-1995) was born in Rimini and raised in Venice; he created Corto Maltese and other notable works.
- The film's narrative spans Venice, the Pacific, and Switzerland.
- The documentary is the result of twenty years of cinematic research.
Entities
Artists
- Hugo Pratt
- Stefano Knuchel
- Dominique Petitfaux
- Patrizia Zanotti
- Thierry Thomas
- Marco Steiner
Institutions
- La Biennale di Venezia
- Settimana Internazionale della Critica
- Giornate degli Autori
- Fiumi Film
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Lido di Venezia
- Rimini
- Ethiopia
- Argentina
- England
- France
- Switzerland
- Pacific