Ciao (film)
Encyclopedia
Ciao is a 2008 gay independent film
by Yen Tan, starring Adam Neal Smith
, Alessandro Calza
, Charles W. Blaum and Ethel Lung.
) tells the story of two men who form an unlikely bond when a mutual friend named Mark (played by Charles W. Blaum) dies unexpectedly in a car crash in Dallas
Mark's best friend Jeff (Adam Neal Smith
) is left with the task of going to Mark's stuff and informing releatives and friends of his death. While going through Mark's e-mails to let people know about his passing, Jeff discovers that Mark had been corresponding with an Italian man named Andrea (Alessandro Calza
), who has already planned a trip to fly to Dallas and to visit Mark for the first time without knowing he has actually died.
Jeff invites Andrea to come to Texas anyway and stay with him for two days at his place. Ciao portrays these two days where the two bereaved friends one from Dallas and the other from Italy meet and talk mostly about Mark and the impact he had on both of them in a close, personal and frank manner. Through these intimate conversations, the two men form a rapport that grows, and they are soon drawn together both by their connection with the deceased Mark, and by a growing intimacy with each other. Andrea has two leave at the end of his 2-day stay, but invites Jeff to come to Italy for a visit at some later date.
(who plays the role of Jeff). The song was written by Curtis Glenn Heath. It is shown when Andrea (played by Alessandro Calza) introduces a video he had received from Mark where he professes his love and regards for both Andrea and Jeff.
praised the acting, but like some other reviewers criticised the "snails pace" of the movie's story. AfterElton named Ciao "the best gay movie I've seen this year" and the Los Angeles Times
called it "a revelation; a minimalist work of maximum effect".
, the Queer Lion Competition at Venice Film Festival
, was given honorable mention at the AFI Dallas Awards, and was part of the Official Selection for Outline Framefest Newline.
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
by Yen Tan, starring Adam Neal Smith
Adam Neal Smith
Adam Neal Smith, at times just Adam Smith is a Dallas, Texas-born and Los Angeles-based film and theater actor, and musician in a band and film music composer.He studied at University of North Texas majoring in history. He also took up acting lessons....
, Alessandro Calza
Alessandro Calza
Alessandro Calza is an Italian film actor, screenwriter, graphic designer, photographer and model. He is also known as A Hunter particularly for his work in photography and graphic design....
, Charles W. Blaum and Ethel Lung.
Synopsis
With the slogan "If you could go back... what would you say to the one you loved", Ciao (meaning boith hello and goodbye in ItalianItalian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
) tells the story of two men who form an unlikely bond when a mutual friend named Mark (played by Charles W. Blaum) dies unexpectedly in a car crash in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
Mark's best friend Jeff (Adam Neal Smith
Adam Neal Smith
Adam Neal Smith, at times just Adam Smith is a Dallas, Texas-born and Los Angeles-based film and theater actor, and musician in a band and film music composer.He studied at University of North Texas majoring in history. He also took up acting lessons....
) is left with the task of going to Mark's stuff and informing releatives and friends of his death. While going through Mark's e-mails to let people know about his passing, Jeff discovers that Mark had been corresponding with an Italian man named Andrea (Alessandro Calza
Alessandro Calza
Alessandro Calza is an Italian film actor, screenwriter, graphic designer, photographer and model. He is also known as A Hunter particularly for his work in photography and graphic design....
), who has already planned a trip to fly to Dallas and to visit Mark for the first time without knowing he has actually died.
Jeff invites Andrea to come to Texas anyway and stay with him for two days at his place. Ciao portrays these two days where the two bereaved friends one from Dallas and the other from Italy meet and talk mostly about Mark and the impact he had on both of them in a close, personal and frank manner. Through these intimate conversations, the two men form a rapport that grows, and they are soon drawn together both by their connection with the deceased Mark, and by a growing intimacy with each other. Andrea has two leave at the end of his 2-day stay, but invites Jeff to come to Italy for a visit at some later date.
Cast
- Adam Neal SmithAdam Neal SmithAdam Neal Smith, at times just Adam Smith is a Dallas, Texas-born and Los Angeles-based film and theater actor, and musician in a band and film music composer.He studied at University of North Texas majoring in history. He also took up acting lessons....
as Jeff - Alessandro CalzaAlessandro CalzaAlessandro Calza is an Italian film actor, screenwriter, graphic designer, photographer and model. He is also known as A Hunter particularly for his work in photography and graphic design....
as Andrea - Charles W. Blaum as Mark
- Ethel Lung as Lauren
- John S. Boles as Mark's Father
- Margaret Lake as Mark's Mother
- Tiffany Vollmer as Doctor
Production
The film was made on a very small budget, and was co-written by Yen Tan and Alessandro Calza.Music
Main musical theme of the film is "Five Times a Minute" sang by Charles W. Blaum (who plays the role of the dead Mark) and Adam Neal SmithAdam Neal Smith
Adam Neal Smith, at times just Adam Smith is a Dallas, Texas-born and Los Angeles-based film and theater actor, and musician in a band and film music composer.He studied at University of North Texas majoring in history. He also took up acting lessons....
(who plays the role of Jeff). The song was written by Curtis Glenn Heath. It is shown when Andrea (played by Alessandro Calza) introduces a video he had received from Mark where he professes his love and regards for both Andrea and Jeff.
Reception
The film received mixed reviews. Ruthe Stein from the San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
praised the acting, but like some other reviewers criticised the "snails pace" of the movie's story. AfterElton named Ciao "the best gay movie I've seen this year" and the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
called it "a revelation; a minimalist work of maximum effect".
Awards
The film won the Jury Prize / Best Feature Film at the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film FestivalPhiladelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
The Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by TLA Entertainment Group in 1995. The event is the third largest of its kind in the US, and the largest on the East Coast....
, the Queer Lion Competition at Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
, was given honorable mention at the AFI Dallas Awards, and was part of the Official Selection for Outline Framefest Newline.