Experiencing Interruptions?

I'm leaving and I'm becoming Pope

At the heart of the film is Antonello's personal story, his stubbornness in remaining firmly attached to his homeland despite the myriad challenges of everyday life. However, incivility, boredom, social depression, and love eventually spur him to leave in search of something new and a place where "people still look up to the sky."

The narrative begins with his last day in his hometown, amid farewells to friends, memories of his life, and the story of the last 40 years of Irpinia, narrated by the protagonist and illustrated by archive footage and interviews on the topic of emigration.

Antonello was born in 1981, the day of the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square. His grandmother had always told him since he was a child, "One day you will become Pope."

  • Antonello Carbone
    Director
  • Antonello Carbone
    Writer
  • Stefania Varriale
    Writer
  • Antonello Carbone
    Key Cast
    "Antonello"
  • Stefania Varriale
    Key Cast
    "Nina"
  • Erminio Nardone
    Key Cast
    "Babbo Natale"
  • Vittorio Lonardo
    Key Cast
    "Vittorio"
  • Rosa Benevento
    Key Cast
    "Rosa"
  • Nicola Soriano
    Key Cast
    "Nicola"
  • Pasquale Bartoli
    Key Cast
    "Pasquale"
  • Nico Boccia
    Key Cast
    "Nico"
  • Lamin Darboe
    Key Cast
    "Lamin"
  • Stefania Virgili
    Key Cast
    "Stefania"
  • Adil Hassan
    Key Cast
    "Adil"
  • Michelangelo Pedace
    Key Cast
    "Michelangelo"
  • Rosalba Savastano
    Key Cast
    "Alba e signora tedesca al citofono"
  • Alvaro Allegri
    Key Cast
    "Alvaro"
  • Antonello Carbone
    Producer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Me ne vado e divento Papa
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Other
  • Genres:
    Documantario, sperimentale, amore
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 1 minute 43 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 12, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    7,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Italy
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany, Italy
  • Language:
    Italian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digitale, mini DV, VHS-C,super8
  • Aspect Ratio:
    30:11
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Antonello Carbone

- ENG

I observe, write, cut, film, listen, edit, tell.
I was born in Irpinia in May 1981.
I grew up joyfully and wildly in the countryside, among dogs, hazelnuts, chickens, and grandparents—the ones from back in the day, the ones who fought in the war. As a teenager, I first approached theater, in the "Teatro d'Europa" company, then drawing, music, and poetry. After working in various jobs, an attempted emigration to Bologna, and a university career, in 2000 I went to work as an apprentice with Franco, a photographer from my hometown. After hundreds of wedding videos, I attended a professional training course for digital filmmakers directed by David Riondino in 2003 and 2004. Various experiences then hardened me: my involvement with the Interferenze New Art Festival, my experience working in small crews for the Toys Orchestra and 24 Grana music videos, documentaries, telestreet, and web TV in my native Irpinia.
I have a quarter-century of experience as a filmmaker and video artist in the inland areas of southern Italy, combined with that of a performer, VJ, and video director for installations and shows presented throughout Italy and Europe with the artist Donpasta (aka Daniele De Michele).
I  participated in cultural projects such as "Interferenze new art festival," "Liminaria," "Mediaterrae vol. 1," "Matera 2019," "Barsento Mediascape," and "Expo 2015." In 2003, I co-founded the first Campanian street TV station, "Al-Javilla," and in 2005, the protest web TV "Uànm." I have collaborated with artists such as Michelangelo Pistoletto. I have teaching experience and collaborations with private and public art academies in southern Italy. I exhibited and performed at the MAXXI in Rome.
I collaborated on three documentary films presented at the Venice International Film Festival - La Biennale in the Giornate degli Autori section. I also collaborate with leading Italian video production companies for live shows and I worked as a video technician and cameraman at concerts of Jovanotti, Kendrick Lamar, Elodie, Nino D’Angelo, Lazza, Ultimo, Blanco, Max Pezzali, Co’Sang, Arctic Monkeys, Sfera Ebbasta and Gazzelle.
In 2024, my project “Sweet Home…” was born, a sort of artistic residency in the small villages of southern Italy with the aim to narrate and revive the deepest meaning of community life by presenting a screening of the film edited and soundtracked live in the village itself.
My first feature film, “Me ne vado e divento Papa”, will be released this fall.

- ITA

Osservo, scrivo, taglio, riprendo, ascolto, monto, racconto.
Nasco in Irpinia nel maggio dell’81.
Cresco gioiosamente e selvaggiamente in campagna, tra cani, nocciole, polli e nonni, quelli di una volta, quelli che avevano fatto la guerra. Da adolescente mi avvicino prima al teatro, nella compagnia “Teatro d’Europa”, poi al disegno, alla musica e alla poesia. Dopo aver fatto diversi lavori, dopo un tentativo di emigrazione a Bologna e dopo aver tentato la carriera universitaria nel 2000 vado “a bottega” da Franco, un fotografo del mio paese e dopo centinaia di video di matrimoni frequento nel 2003 e 2004 un corso di formazione professionale per filmaker digitale diretto da David Riondino. Varie esperienze poi mi temprano: la vicinanza a Interferenze New Art Festival, le esperienze nelle piccole troupe per i videoclip di Toys Orchestra e 24 Grana, i documentari, la telestreet e la web tv nella mia Irpinia.
Ho un quarto di secolo di esperienza di filmaker e video artista nelle zone interne del sud Italia mescolata a quella di performer, Vj e regista video per le installazioni e gli spettacoli proposti in tutta Italia e in Europa con l’artista Donpasta (alias Daniele De Michele).
Ho partecipato a progetti culturali come “Interferenze new art festival”, “Liminaria”, “Mediaterrae vol.1”, “Matera 2019”, “Barsento Mediascape”, “Expo 2015” e ho co-fondato nel 2003 la prima telestreet Campana “Al-Javilla” e nel 2005 la web tv di lotta “Uànm”. Ho collaborato con artisti del calibro di Michelangelo Pistoletto. Ho esperienze di docenza e collaborazioni con accademie artistiche private e pubbliche nel sud Italia. Ho esposto e performato al MAXXI di Roma.
Ho collaborato alla realizzazione di 3 film documentari presentati alla Mostra internazionale del cinema di Venezia - la Biennale  nella sezione Giornate degli autori. Inoltre collaboro con i principali service video italiani per spettacoli dal vivo e ho lavorato come tecnico video e cameraman ai concerti di: Jovanotti, Kendrick Lamar, Elodie, Nino D’Angelo, Lazza, Ultimo, Blanco, Max Pezzali, Co’Sang, Arctic Monkeys, Sfera Ebbasta, Gazzelle.
Nel 2024 nasce il mio progetto “Sweet Home…”, una sorta di residenza artistica nei piccoli paesini del sud Italia con lo scopo di raccontare e far rivivere il senso più profondo della vita di una comunità portando in scena nel paese stesso la proiezione del film montato e sonorizzato dal vivo.
Questo autunno uscirà il mio primo lungometraggio: “Me ne vado e divento Papa”.

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