Experiencing Interruptions?

Dead Star

Claudio Nervi, an eclectic director, and Lucia Neve, a disillusioned producer, are looking for a new actress who could help them with their latest feature film, a project that is undoubtedly adrift. During a meeting with one of the most promising candidates, Stella, the girl will reveal them that the script of the movie is pretty similar to a story she knows well: the story of how she died.

  • David Milesi
    Director
    Director
  • Diandra Elettra Moscogiuri
    Writer
    Writer
  • David Milesi
    Writer
    Writer
  • Diandra Elettra Moscogiuri
    Producer
    Producer
  • Yoon Cometti Joyce
    Key Cast
    "Claudio Nervi"
    Actor
  • Diandra Elettra Moscogiuri
    Key Cast
    "Stella D'Abramo"
    Actress
  • Margherita Scotti
    Key Cast
    "Lucia Neve"
    Actress
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 21 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    30,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Italy
  • Country of Filming:
    Italy
  • Language:
    English, Italian
  • Shooting Format:
    Red
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - David Milesi

From the age of eleven, David Milesi has nurtured a passion for filmmaking and writing, a journey that has continued uninterrupted ever since. Upon completing a degree in multimedia graphics, David Milesi had the opportunity to learn and grow as an assistant director on various sets, including productions for Amazon Prime Video. These experiences were instrumental in gaining practical insights and skills, ultimately leading to the creation of Demodami Studios.

Driven by a profound curiosity about people and a deep sense of empathy, David Milesi finds great fulfillment in the art of directing. They believe that cinema offers a unique way to explore and understand ourselves and the world around us.

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Director Statement

"Dead Star" was conceived before I truly understood my identity as a director; it was a complete experiment that allowed me to learn the craft. It differs significantly from the projects I am currently working on, "Die by Desire" and "A Beautiful Hell."

The film underwent various upheavals; the opening title card reflects this with the statement: "Fragments of a story made, destroyed, and forgotten, only to go back and never be told again."

Production began in 2018 and faced many challenges due to the pandemic. However, these challenges provided an opportunity to experiment, demonstrating that every problem can bring a possibility. We financed the movie entirely out of our own pockets, with a very low budget spread out over time, improving technically year after year.

We are proud to have attracted interest from a prominent actor like Yoon C. Joyce, who expressed his desire to participate in the film because he was drawn to the idea of playing a director. He appreciated that there were no stereotypes in his character, a problem he often encountered in Italian productions as an actor of Asian descent.

The film adopts a structure inspired by 1940s noir. The protagonist, Stella, is modeled after Phyllis Dietrichson, the main character in the film "Double Indemnity," which is explicitly referenced in a scene of "Dead Star." Stella is a cynical, selfish character focused on her own goals—a modern take on the femme fatale archetype.

Stella's story is shown using a 2.1 aspect ratio, with a grittier and rougher visual style, while the scenes involving the director and producer are shot in cinemascope (aspect ratio 2.55:1), with a more polished and idealized visual aesthetic. This choice was made to create a distinction between the rough and raw narrative of Stella's tale and the cleaner, more idealized cinematic world. It’s as if Stella is trying to justify her controversial actions when confronting the director and the producer, even though we, as viewers, already sense that things are not as they seem.