Experiencing Interruptions?

Land of Upright People

Four people seeking for change in Africa's most controversial country.

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CPA - FilCoSpe - Università Roma Tre
DocFest Productions
Indyca

with the patronage of
Amnesty International - Italia

present

LAND OF UPRIGHT PEOPLE
(IL PAESE DELLE PERSONE INTEGRE)

a documentary film by Christian Carmosino Mereu

world premiere: September 4th, 2022
Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica di Venezia
Giornate degli Autori - Venice Nights

Rome Independent Film Festival
Best Documentary

Terraviva Film Festival
Special Mention Student Jury

Human Rights Film Festival of Napoli
Special Mention Public Audience

Premio Libero Bizzarri - DOC Film Festival
Andrea Pazienza Award

Valsusa Film Fest
Special Mention "Premio Memoria Storica"

Mostra Internazionale del Cinema di Bracciano
Best film

PerSo - Perugia Social Film Festival
Best film “La settimana ora”
and Special Mention Students' Jury

Festival Glocal
Best Documentary

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Italian Distribution: Christian Carmosino Mereu
info@landofuptrightpeople.net | +39 328 7130990 | www.landofuprightpeople.net

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October 2014, the capital of Burkina Faso Ouagadougou is the scene of mass demonstrations against a dictatorship in power for 27 years. An unarmed uprising kicks off the dictator and subsequently resists to a coup attempt.

In 2015 the country votes freely for the first time in its history, but the revolution is not followed by a real change, especially regarding economic exploitation of the country by foreign companies.

Today the weakness of the government allows the advancement of Al Qaeda and IS, which has put the region under attack causing thousands of victims and hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

The film follows this process during one year through daily life of four burkinabes made up of resistance and struggle. An engaged musician, a candidate for elections, a miner who is unemployed because of his political commitment, and a mother in a poor and numerous family in the capital Ouagadougou.

All of them share a hope for change that is concentrated in the important polls’ deadline.

  • Christian Carmosino Mereu
    Director
  • Christian Carmosino Mereu
    Writer
  • Christian Carmosino Mereu
    Producer
  • Emma Rossi Landi
    Producer
  • Vito Zagarrio
    Producer
  • Simone Catania
    Producer
  • Sam'sk Le Jah
    Key Cast
  • Assanata Ouedraogo
    Key Cast
    "Assana"
  • Dieudonné Tagnan
    Key Cast
    "Ghost"
  • Constant Bazié
    Key Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Il paese delle persone integre
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    human rights, biography, revolution
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 46 minutes 57 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 15, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    85,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Italy
  • Country of Filming:
    Burkina Faso
  • Language:
    French, Italian
  • Shooting Format:
    FullHD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    scope
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Venice Film Festival - Giornate degli Autori
    Venezia
    Italy
    September 4, 2022
    World Premiere
    Notti Veneziane
  • Venezia a Roma
    Roma
    Italy
    September 30, 2022
  • Venezia a Napoli
    Napoli
    Italy
    October 28, 2022
  • Rome Independent Film Festival
    Rome
    Italy
    November 22, 2022
    Best Documentary
  • Terraviva Film Festival
    Bologna
    Italy
    November 23, 2022
    Student Award
  • Napoli International Human Rights Film Festival
    Napoli
    Italy
    November 24, 2022
    Audience Award
  • Libero Bizzarri Award
    San Benedetto del Tronto
    Italy
    November 25, 2022
    Andrea Pazienza Award
  • FuoriNorma 6
    Roma
    Italy
    December 10, 2022
  • Trieste Film Festival
    Trieste
    Italy
    January 28, 2023
    Premio Corso Salani
  • Fespaco
    Ouagadougou
    Burkina Faso
    March 2, 2023
    African premiere
  • Fescaaal - Festival del Cinema Africano, dell'Asia e dell'America Latina
    Milano
    Italy
    March 24, 2023
    Fuori Concorso
  • Valsusa Film Fest
    Condove
    Italy
    April 24, 2023
    Special Mention
  • Human Rights Film Festival
    Buenos Aires
    Argentina
    June 2, 2023
    South American
    Panorama
  • Ischia Film Festival
    Ischia
    Italy
    June 24, 2023
    Location Negata Competition
  • Asincronie - Festival di Cinema Documentario e Fotografia
    Sassari
    Italy
    June 28, 2023
  • RomAfrica Film Festival
    Roma
    Italy
    July 14, 2023
  • Ariano International Film Festival
    Ariano
    Italy
    August 3, 2023
    Competition
  • Molise Cinema
    Casacalenda
    Italy
    August 13, 2023
    Frontiere
  • Bracciano International Film Festival
    Bracciano
    Italy
    September 2, 2023
    Best Film
  • PerSo - Perugia Social Film Festival
    Perugia
    Italy
    September 28, 2023
    PerSo Cinema Italiano
Distribution Information
  • Italian Distribution: Indyca
    Distributor
    Country: Italy
    Rights: All Rights, Internet, Video on Demand, Pay Per View, Hotel, Airline, Ship, Theatrical, Video / Disc, Free TV, Paid TV, Console / Handheld Device
  • International Sales: Deckert Distribution
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights, Internet, Video on Demand, Pay Per View, Hotel, Airline, Ship, Theatrical, Video / Disc, Free TV, Paid TV, Console / Handheld Device
Director Biography - Christian Carmosino Mereu

Director’s Biofilmography

Italian independent filmmaker Christian Carmosino Mereu has worked in Italy, Europe and Africa for the past twenty years as director, producer and teacher.
Among alla worked with Siena International Short Film Festival (1996-2002), the Cittadella del Corto - Trevignano International Short Film Festival (2003-2005), Incurt International Short Film Festival - Barcelona (2002). National Film Library - Cineteca Nazionale (Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia) (2001-2002).
He's been artistic director of Festivals such as [CINEMA.DOC], the first Italian project for distributing documentary films in national theatres, Doc/it Professional Award, the Italian professional prize for the Best Italian Documentary of the Year and Il Mese del Documentario (The Documentary Month), a festival-circuit that brought the Italian documentaries in theaters of 13 cities in Italy and Europe (Paris, Barcelona, London and Berlin).
He's artistic director of the newborn "Rome International Documentary Festival" (www.ridf.it).
For Roma 3 University he’s the technical manager of the Audiovisual Production Center, he coordinates a Master Degree in "Documentary Cinema” and he’s professor of Filmmaking and Documentary Filmmaking.

Director’s Contacts

Via Ferruccio 30
00185 Roma - Italy
+39 328 7130990
christiancarmosino@gmail.com
www.carmosino.com

Director’s Filmography

Une Famille
(A Family, 2021, documentary, 74’, HD)
https://www.cinemaitaliano.info/unefamille

Briser les Chaînes – Sam’sk Lejah on tour
(Break the Chains, 2020, documentary, 66’, HD)
https://www.cinemaitaliano.info/briserleschainessamsklejahontour

Kobarid
(2019, experimental documentary, 100’, 4K)
Official Selection at Trieste Film Festival
https://www.cinemaitaliano.info/kobarid

La lunga strada gialla
(Long Yellow Road, 2016, documentary, 79’, HD)
http://www.cinemaitaliano.info/lalungastradagialla
Miglior documentario “Ambiente e Società” a Torino CinemAmbiente – International Environmental Film Festival.

Pieds Nus
(Barefoot Revolution, 2015, documentary, 52’, HD)
Official Selection at Festival des Libertés Bruxelles and broadcasted in over 30 countries.
http://www.cinemaitaliano.info/burkinapiedsnuds

Segni particolari: documentarista
(Particular marks: documentary filmmakers, 2013, documentary, 63’, HD)
http://www.cinemaitaliano.info/segniparticolaridocumentarista

Con lei
(With her, 2011, documentary, 5’, HD)
Telethon - Rai Production

La corsa degli altri
(The Others’ Run, 2010, documentary, 5’, HD)
Telethon - Rai Production

Ritorno a casa
(Back Home, 2009, documentary, 5’, HD)
Telethon - Rai Production

Il senso di Luca
(Luca’s Sense, 2008, documentary, 5’, HD)
Telethon - Rai Production

L’ora d’amore
(The Love Hour, 2008, documentary, 52’, HDV)
Official Selection at Rome International Film Festival and over 50 festivals.
Targa d’argento at 3° Festival del Cinema dello Stretto, Messina;
Special Mention at ’11° International Film Festival on Human Rights, Buenos Aires - Argentina;
Best Documentary at 10° Maremetraggio Film Festival, Trieste;
Special Mention at 2° Documenta Film Festival, Sezze LT;
Best Documentary 4° Overlook Film Festival - Finale Ligure;
Best Documentary “Periferie Romane” al 3° Visioni Fuori Raccordo Film Festival;
Special Mention at CineOjo Film Festival, Valparaiso - Chile.
http://www.cinemaitaliano.info/loradamore

Gli Invisibili - Esordi nel cinema Italiano 2000-2006
(The Invisibles, Debuts in Italian Cinema 2000-2006, 2007, documentary, 52’, MiniDV)
http://www.cinemaitaliano.info/gliinvisibili

La zuppa di pietra
(Stone Soup, 2007, short film, 14’, 35mm)
Vincitore del Premio Cortolazio 2006-2007
Primo Premio Academia Barilla 2008
e proiettato in una decina di Festival italiani e internazionali.

Carolina
(2007, documentary, 5’, HD)
Telethon - Rai Production

L’amore è un elefante
(Love is an Elephant, 2007, videoclip, 3’, HD)
canzone di Giò Di Tonno, Inno dell’AIL - Associazione Italiana per le Leucemie

Federico e Maria
(2006, documentario, 5’, HD)
Telethon - Rai Production

¿Quién es Pilar?
(Who’s Pilar?, 2005, short film, 16’, 35mm)
Selected in over 30 international festivals, winner of many prizes as Best Film, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Soundtrack.

Pierino
(2004, documentary, 17’, MiniDV)
Best Film “Historic Memory” at Valsusa Film Festival 2004.

Gesù di Capocotta
(jesus of Capocotta, 2003, mockumentary, 18’, MiniDV)
Best Film at Cortigiano Short Film Festival 2003, selected in over 20 Italian and International festivals.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I have followed and filmed over the years four characters met during the events and followed later in their daily life.

The film has my point of view, little by little replaced by their story, in a progressive fading of voices. The intention is to unite my external and extraneous vision of the great questions underlying the economic and social injustices that cause African emigration, with the internal, personal and intimate one of people which are often not being involved, or even not seen as people, but numbers and data.

At first I placed myself as the "mean" of the story and then as an interested "listener", possibly trying to escape the stereotypes and to tell an Africa that escapes mainstream narrations. An Africa, if shown, that could be the keystone of a real historical change. This film undertakes an ambitious and necessary attempt with awareness of its own limits, but also with the necessary boldness and recklessness.