Giulio Donato’s ‘Labyrinths’ Premieres in Venice, Debuts Exclusive Clip

Giulio Donato’s “Labyrinths,” showcased in an Out of Competition slot at Venice Days, an independent sidebar to the Venice Film Festival, has released its first clip. Open Reel is managing international sales for the film.

The story follows Francesco, an introverted young man from a mountain village in Calabria, surrounded by nature. Francesco grows up with Mimmo, his best friend, sharing everything with him until adolescence. A pivotal moment occurs when Francesco finds a book, which becomes a magical object that changes the trajectory of his life.

Francesco dreams big and finds the courage to pursue his dreams despite societal and personal challenges. He struggles against the unwritten psychological and social norms of the society around him and faces conflict with Mimmo.

Director Giulio Donato explained his vision for the film: “For ‘Labyrinths’ my intention was to start from reality and create, through filming, something new. I aimed to position the story halfway between reality and fiction, maintaining this approach in all facets of the film. Hence, I chose a dual approach: on one side, an ultra-realistic staging meant to make the audience almost forget they are watching a film, preserving the natural uncertainties of reality; on the other, a more designed and aesthetic system to represent Francesco’s dreams.”

Donato further elaborated, “I tried to maintain the original sets, shot extensively handheld, and directed the actors by combining their experiences with those of their characters, co-creating scenes and dialogues. In contrast, for the dream sequences, I used subjective, more stable shots, immersive sound, and the lead’s voiceover. The goal was to blend these two paths, providing unity and narrative coherence while creating a clear stylistic distinction. The intention was to highlight the difference between the two worlds and their perceptions of reality.”

The cast includes Francesco Grillo, Simone Iorgi, Stella Mastrantonio, Finn Ronsdorf, Davide Fasano, Antonio Gerardi, and Massimo De Santis.

Francesco Cimpanelli produced the film for Life Cinema, while Giulio Donato served as the executive producer.