Lulu in Turin

A film about ...
making a film, a film within a film, films I love;
an obsession, an icon of silent cinema, a portrait, looking for Lulu;
the male gaze;
female empowerment and fulfilment;
Turin and its history, architecture, cinemas and people;
me and the film of my dreams.

  • Ian Charles Lister
    Director
  • Ian Charles Lister
    Writer
  • Ian Charles Lister
    Producer
  • Camilla Armanini
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 16 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    August 2, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    1,440 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Italy
  • Country of Filming:
    Italy
  • Language:
    English, Italian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 4K 24fps
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Ian Charles Lister

I'm not a filmmaker by trade, but I am passionate about film and have always possessed a creative spirit. My work, teaching English at a university in Turin, Italy, my adopted home, has left me little time to develop my passion as much as I would have liked. However, I did manage to graduate as a mature student with a Master's in Film Studies from Exeter University 12 years ago, and attended a masterclass on screenwriting run by Mike Figgis, a keen advocate of digital filmmaking and the freedom to experiment it can afford. While I've managed to fulfil one of my creative dreams, publishing six books for adolescents learning English, including an original trilogy about two time-travelling teenagers, my wildest dream, making a film, has not seen the light of day, until now.

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Director Statement

The Italians have a perfect expression to define long-held dreams, "dreams in the drawer", because such dreams are often put away out of sight while you get on with living your "real" life, though you may often see them in your mind's eye. Opening that drawer requires belief, courage, time and maybe money. Then, one day, you wake up and realise it's now or never. Never would be the easier choice, but when I decided that it was high time to make that film I've wanted to make for years, I was soon caught up in a whirlwind of excitement and stimulating challenges to solve every day, One of the main challenges was to make my film as independently as possible, so equipped with my smartphone, some basic apparatus, the Filmic Pro app and the PowerDirector software, that's what I set out to do. I knew I had a good story to work with, and ideas that evolved during shooting have made it even better. However, the film wouldn't exist without its star, and the search for her is a key part of the film itself. As I look through the footage while editing, I feel proud of what I've achieved, but also somewhat astounded that I've actually managed to make the film of my dreams.