The Host ( L'Ospite)

Biography of Paolo Muran:
I was born in Bologna in the mid-1950s in a building from the beginning of the century, built in a square around a large courtyard. The childhood time spent with friends in that courtyard will be fundamental for my professional training.

Confused adolescence, graduation, then immediately to work. Two short work experiences in the office to understand what I don't like to do.

One idea: to undertake an activity with someone (preferably with friends). I don't know what and I don't know where.

For two years I became a member of the Magic Bus youth cooperative. We organize shows, music festivals and a couple of exhibitions around Italy. Nice experience, apart from the endless meetings where they discussed whether to participate in "pilot projects" ... Bla, bla bla ...

In 1979 I collaborated with Studio Video Pierrot e la Rosa in Bologna and became a partner in 1980.

These are the years of private TV and the production of TV commercials. The communication of companies also begins to use the video format. We conceive, propose, resume, assemble.

The largest local companies and also various national and international brands become our customers with satisfaction.

We renew the filming and editing equipment (from 3/4 Umatic to High Definition) and we members "make ends meet".

Since 1990, always together with Pierrot's group (Luca Buelli, Lamberto Borsetti, Guglielmo Rossi) we have been making and producing the documentaries of Gianni Celati (writer, professor at the university of some of us and a great friend).

We rehearse and shoot, study and edit, we work as a Rock band where Gianni is the leader. Very beautifull.

Passion then leads me to make other documentaries as a director for the sole pleasure of telling stories through images.

In 2006 with “Life as a corporate trip” I took part in the IDFA Festival in Amsterdam in the prestigious Joris Ivens selection.

In 2007, in the Corriere della Sera, the very severe critic Aldo Grasso described my film as "the best documentary of the year" (and we are at the end of November!). These are satisfactions.

I also like working as a cinematographer for other documentary makers: with the fast ones because they never have time (tiring), with the fussy ones in love with details (very tiring),

with those who do not have clear ideas (the nicest ones) and with those who have clear ideas (not received).

In all this time, in the companies with which I have collaborated, I have met many people whom I respect a lot and I have been able to make short films and documentaries with friends (Maura Argelli, Franco Arminio, Ermanno Cavazzoni, Gianni Celati, Giorgio Comaschi, Emilio Marrese, Cristiano Governa and Giacomo De Stefano), having a lot of fun.