The Global Search for Education: On Love, Loss, and Resilience — With Director Antonio Maria Castaldo
This month, audiences can screen Giulia e il Capoposto on the Planet Classroom Network. This film is curated by Kids FIRST! Film Festival. Giulia e il Capoposto, written and directed by Antonio Maria Castaldo, is a touching short film about a young girl who, after losing her father, attempts to send a letter to him in Heaven. With the help of a kind fire chief, her wish comes true. This moving story of love, loss, and human kindness will warm hearts everywhere.
The Global Search for Education is pleased to welcome Antonio Maria Castaldo.
Antonio, what inspired you to tell this beautiful, true story of Giulia and her father?
I was inspired by two things: the first was reading Giulia’s story in a newspaper distributed on the Metro in Rome. It was a story that had happened the day before. The second was that, by pure chance, on the same day, I found myself visiting the Firefighters Museum in Mantua. I thought that the story I had read that morning could have happened in any era and in any place. This intrigued me because when a story can be told across all times and spaces, it means I am telling a universal story.
How did you work with the actors, especially Talía Savoldo, to communicate so much emotion without dialogue?
The idea was to get as close as possible to the language of mime, without exaggerating the movements. Talía was amazing. We worked together for two days to achieve as much realism as possible. We did a few rehearsals, and with the help of her parents, who know her better than I do, we quickly found the right approach to create the emotional intensity that the story required.
What challenges did you face in capturing the film’s period setting and emotional tone?
The most difficult challenge was finding the right horses for the period setting. While the museum provided all the vehicles and costumes — everything working perfectly, even though some of the vehicles were over a century old — the horses needed to have specific characteristics to be believable. We eventually found horses that often participate in historical reenactments throughout Italy. As for the setting, I was fortunate to be in Italy, which is often said to be an open-air museum, so that part was quite simple.
How do you hope audiences will connect with Giulia’s journey and message?
I hope audiences will connect with Giulia’s journey on a deeply emotional level. Her story is one of love, loss, and resilience, which are experiences that resonate universally. Giulia’s quiet strength and the bond with her father reflect themes that many can relate to, whether it’s the idea of family, sacrifice, or the passage of time. My goal is for viewers to feel moved by her courage and inspired to reflect on their own relationships and the legacies we all leave behind.
Thank you, Antonio.
C.M. Rubin with Antonio Maria Castaldo
Don’t miss Giulia e il Capoposto, now streaming on the Planet Classroom Network. This film is curated by Kids FIRST! Film Festival for Planet Classroom.