Hello Reader,
every Christmas, I return to my hometown with my daughter Blu. It’s a way to connect her with my roots, immerse ourselves in nature, and spend time with old friends.
But lately, I’ve been wondering: how long will this balance last? Blu is approaching adolescence, and our trips are beginning to change.
So, I wrote a story for a short film, inspired by one of our summer journeys.
Blood of my blood
Marco and his daughter Blu embark on their traditional vacation journey—a ritual that always feels the same but, this time, carries a different emotional weight.
A mistake—filling the tank with the wrong fuel—leaves them stranded at a repair shop, bringing to light long-buried tensions. Hidden truths and unhealed wounds emerge. Blu voices her frustration about being forced to follow a tradition she finds increasingly stifling, while Marco struggles with his inability to communicate and truly understand his daughter.
The turning point comes when Marco makes an unexpected decision: abandoning their plans and heading to Venice instead. In this new setting, Marco and Blu discover something new about each other—and, most importantly, about themselves.
A journey of discovery and renewal for both, Blood of My Blood explores the delicate balance between protection and freedom.
The relationship between father and daughter is a fragile balance between protection and freedom, between the desire to guide one’s children and their need to find their own path. This conflict—often silent and rarely fully expressed—is what I aim to explore in this story.
As a father, I’ve come to reflect on the fact that my role is not just to protect and guide my daughter but also to let her go.
To let her find her independence, even if that means facing the challenges of separation and watching her grow in ways I hadn’t anticipated. And as a young woman, she must grapple with the weight of a relationship that, while full of love, can sometimes feel restrictive. It’s in this tension that our story unfolds.
I’d like Blu and me to play ourselves. We both have a passion for acting, and no one can tell this story better than us. This film will be an open dialogue between father and daughter, a way to face change and grow together.
The most important thing is determining where life ends and the film begins.
The risk with a project so personal is not delving deeply enough, out of fear of hurting each other. Sometimes, we’re afraid to tell the whole truth.
This project is only partially fictional. Working on it together will undoubtedly impact our relationship, and it’s important to me that neither the film nor our bond suffers because of it.
Art can be a way to overcome traumas and forge new connections. I want this story to be a journey of discovery—not just for the characters but for us, too.
This January, I’ll be in Trieste to attend When East Meets West—one of Europe’s leading co-production forums.
It will be a great opportunity to meet production companies and international partners interested in supporting this short film.
Wish me luck!
Marco
PS: I know, I know, I used an image of Jeremy Allen White as a reference. If you have his number and he agrees to act in the short for free, I’d gladly hand over the role to him! 🙂
