Red Zones

Directed by: Luca Vullo, Produced by: Ondemotive Productions and Videoplugger, UK/Italy, 4×25′, 2020, Rights: World

Red Zones is created by Luca Vullo, Ondemotive Productions and co-produced by Videoplugger. ‘Red Zones’ has been commissioned by SKY Italy and broadcast on SKY tg24 the series is now available for international distribution. The series has been shortlisted for the 2020 Content Innovation Awards.

Pain, anger, fear. But also the hope and desire to fight and change. The feelings and stories of the people who are struggling to contain the pandemic are at the centre of Red Zones.

This series gives access to the “red areas” of Europe, through the eyes of ordinary people whose lives have been changed dramatically by the pandemic and the lockdown. A chorus of voices reveals how the virus has influenced their psychological and emotional state and has changed the way we live and our lifestyle. Italy, which has been one of the hardest hit in Europe by the pandemic is the first port of call in the series, then the focus moves to the rest of the continent, with stories that repeat themselves and yet change in the various countries as different cultures react in various ways to the challenges to our health, work, education, and economy.

The series starts in Italy, the country where physical contact, socialization, family, friendship, passion and ingenuity represent the strengths of its people. It is one of the most affected countries, both in terms of contagions and from an economic, tourist and psychological point of view. In the biggest restriction on movements since the Second World War, 60 million Italians face unprecedented measures when schools, businesses and shops close, while hospitals face an overcrowding crisis.

The second episode Humanitas focus is on one of the more vulnerable groups in society; children, adolescents and young adults, and how COVID-19 has impacted them emotionally and psychologically. We hear from young You-tubers Favij and Surry from the Mates group and how they have tackled the Covid-19 crisis on their social media channels.
We hear from several young students and children about their grief, concerns and worries but also of their resilience and also how they are managing through innovative ways of pursuing their usual social connections while fighting with an invisible enemy. With schools closed and no ability to play outdoors with friends. For young people who might struggle to verbalize their emotions in this difficult moment creativity, art and play are vital keys to help them navigate these very stressful times.

Thanks to the internet, schools have entered everyone’s homes so as not to break the umbilical cord of learning by setting up a new way of doing distance learning which has created many challenges for teachers. and the school has​ ​had had to adapt quickly. Also, parents are in great difficulty managing the situation at home from a psychological and emotional point of view but also financially.​ ​Many have been​ ​left without work and with great uncertainty about when or if a return to life as it was before is possible. At the same time, this forced imprisonment has led us to live our family relationships in a completely new way and brought out the importance of values ​​that we were losing due to our hectic lifestyles.

Due to the voices of the many interviewees, different in age, ethnicity, wealth, profession, health and lifestyle, the series shows how people are experiencing this period in many different ways. The intimate and emotional stories reveal the effect that all this is having on the life and future on this generation. These are stories of health workers, mayors, pharmacists, mothers, children, disabled people, teachers, priests, soldiers, artists, you-tubers and people who have survived COVID-19, who are supporting their battle against the coronavirus, united by the awareness that no one would ever have expected to live through such a  difficult time, yet also from the absolute need to remain human and from the hope of being able to start again from a different, more responsible and aware world.

The series features interviews with actor Michele Riondino, (Young Montalbano), footballer Filippo Inzaghi, comedian Corrado Guzzanti (Murder at Barlume), artist Jo Squillo, and world record-breaking navigator Giovanni Soldini, sailor Max Sirena and Paralympic athlete Giusy Versace (Versace family)

Episodes

  1. Italy
  2. Humanitas
  3. Bivium
  4. Resalio

Awards:

Las Vegas Movie Awards Social Awareness Award/ Award of Merit October 2020
Port Blair intl. Film Festival Winner Best Experimental Feature Film September
Firenze Corti Film Festival 2021 – Semifinalist

Official Selection:
Content Innovation Awards 2020- Best Documentary Series
Rome Independent Prisma Awards – Best Documentary September 2020

CREDITS:

A CO-PRODUCTION between Ondemotive Productions Ltd & Videoplugger Ltd
CREATOR, DIRECTOR: Luca Vullo
PRODUCERS: Luca Vullo e Emanuele Galloni
EDITOR: Luca Vullo
ANIMATION: Roberto Gallà
DRAWINGS: bambini dell’Istituto Comprensivo di Lozzo Atestino e di Vò
LEGO DESIGN AND CREATIONS : Pietro Chiarella
MUSICAL SCORE: Giuseppe Vasapolli
MUSIC: Giuseppe Vasapolli, Libero Reina, Nino Errera
COLOUR CORRECTION: Sebastiano Saro Greco
POST-PRODUCTION AUDIO: Diego Schiavo
PRODUCTION SECRETARY: Liana Vullo
GRAPHICS: Paola Selene Fiorino