a Norma (to Norma)

The search for a "fabulous creature" said to exist in the
waters of Lake Como leads us to meet Norma, a woman
who represents a taboo in our society. In this way, it begins
a journey of deconstruction of our desires, expectations,
and prejudices, reflecting on the concept of femininity. Our
imagination meets and dialogues with Norma's reality and
memories: her past in Peru, the path to self-acceptance,
and her transformation, which is still in progress.

  • Carlotta Cosmai
    Director
  • Pedro Pablo HdeO
    Director
  • Maryam Shater Jannati
    Director
  • Michela Zolfo
    Director
  • Carlotta Cosmai
    Writer
  • Pedro Pablo Hernandez de Obeso
    Writer
  • Maryam Shater Jannati
    Writer
  • Michela Zolfo
    Writer
  • Scuola Civica Luchino Visconti
    Producer
  • Norma
    Key Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    a Norma
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Documentary, queer
  • Runtime:
    43 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 11, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    Italy
  • Country of Filming:
    Italy
  • Language:
    Italian
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16.9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Scuola Civica Luchino Visconti
Director Biography - Carlotta Cosmai, Pedro Pablo HdeO, Maryam Shater Jannati, Michela Zolfo

Carlotta, Pedro Pablo, Maryam and Michela meet at Luchino Visconti Civic School, in Milan. Coming from different backgrounds, their diversity soon transforms into an opportunity and into the life force behind the creation of a Norma.

Carlotta Cosmai (1994). With a background in feminist film studies, Carlotta studied Screenwriting at the University of California, UCLA. Since 2021 she has been working as a writer and screenwriter for international TV series and film projects.

Pedro Pablo HdeO (1995). Mexican, cinema lover since childhood, since 2018 he has been working as DoP and director. His first feature film is Crimen Por Omisión (2018). His short films Ecos (2020), Pasado Tardío (DoP, 2022) and Like a fish in the sand (2022) have been presented internationally.

Maryam Shater (1988). Italian-Iranian, after graduating in Law and Global Studies, Maryam works for six years in int’l cooperation. In 2021, after a sabbatical, she devotes herself to writing and documentary filmmaking. Today she works as a director, writer and production coordinator.

Michela Zolfo (1990). A lifelong cinema lover, Michela began working as an editor in 2015, working on commercial and non- commercial projects. Since 2021 she has dedicated herself to documentary cinema and today she works as an editor, director and production assistant.

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Director Statement

a Norma was born from our relationship with Norma, from the dialogue between our expectations, represented by an imaginative language, and her reality. The search for a 'fabulous creature', which is a metaphor for our projections (and prejudices) on the themes of this film, often still taboo, meets Norma's everyday life. Norma opens the door to her life, gradually unveiling the fragments of her past and present. Using an "intimate" gaze, we wanted to return a portrait of Norma and her transformation still in progress. What matters to us is to represent the fluidity of a path, the 'trans-' that is a passage beyond a term, the crossing, the change from one condition to another