Michel Gondry Brings Amateur Film Workshop to Italy for First Time

Michel Gondry's 'Usine de Films Amateurs' (Amateur Film Factory) workshop debuted in Italy at the Scuola Holden in Turin, running from May 22 to May 31. The workshop, created by Gondry in 2007, challenges the notion of cinema as an exclusive, specialized field. Participants—600 in total, divided into 30 groups of 20—write, act, direct, and screen a short film within three hours, with no prior experience required. Each group is guided by two tutors trained by Gondry. The process involves choosing a genre and title by majority vote, then improvising a plot. For instance, one group produced a mockumentary western about robbers critiquing a saloon heist. Another group created 'Se mi lasci ti macello,' a horror-comedy about a couple visiting cannibal relatives in Calabria. Filming is done in single takes without editing, preserving mistakes. The workshop has produced over 5,000 short films across editions in Marseille, New York, Tokyo, Montreal, and Buenos Aires. Gondry personally views all submissions. The Turin edition marks the first time the workshop has been held in Italy.