Campari has announces the return of Campari Red Diaries with Fellini Forward; a project created in collaboration with Fellini’s family and former colleagues that explores the late Federico Fellini’s creative genius using new technology and machine learning to emulate the works of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time in a new and unique short film set in Rome. A one-of-a-kind documentary following the process will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 7th and North American premiere as a Partner Presentation at the 59th New York Film Festival. The documentary will then be released on a subscription video on demand (SVOD) platform in select markets, inviting consumers to explore the future of cinema and creativity.
Having worked on an advertisement with Federico Fellini, for one of his few brand collaborations in 1984, this year’s Campari Red Diaries Fellini Forward continues the brand’s legacy, marrying both creativity and innovation within the cinema industry with the most forward-looking technology. Thanks to a team of experts from production and innovation studio UNIT9, dedicated Artificial Intelligence tools were explored and developed to unearth Federico Fellini’s creative genius in ways that had never been attempted until now.
Francesca Fabbri Fellini, Fellini’s niece, was involved in the project from the start, together with Directors Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper (documentary), Maximilian Niemann (short film) and a robust crew, introducing them to some of Fellini’s key colleagues, sharing counsel and first-hand knowledge of her uncle, as well as contributing to the casting, costume design and script writing for the short film. This seamless collaboration between human and Artificial Intelligence showcases how the sentimental and the rational, the emotional and the data-driven can come together to create a brand new piece of art.
“My Uncle Federico was original in his ways of representing life using dream-like elements as his means of communication,” said Francesca. “I think a project like this is a perfect way to honor his legacy. Though he took much inspiration from his past, he was always looking ahead. A similar approach was taken for this project with Campari; it is rooted in heritage yet is futuristic with the use of Artificial Intelligence.”
Throughout the process, original members of Fellini’s crew were involved and consulted, providing key insights on the Maestro’s oeuvre. This included Fellini’s camera operator Blasco Giurato (The Clowns, 1970), his three-time Oscar winning set designer Dante Ferretti (Orchestra Rehearsal, 1978; City of Women, 1980; And the Ship Sails On, 1983; Ginger and Fred, 1986; The Voice of the Moon, 1990) and Luigi Piccolo, Director of Sartoria Farani, a renowned Italian tailor shop which holds restored costumes from some of Fellini’s greatest films including (Satyricon, 1969; The Clowns, 1970; Amarcord, 1973). Each member was conferred to define what elements in the endeavor could be perceived as Felliniesque. The result culminated in a fascinating short movie, set in the heart of Rome, that explores Fellini’s life and dreams with distinctive, signature characters and arrangements throughout.
Documentary Director duo ZCDC, Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper, captured the making of this short film, inviting significant experts of Artificial Intelligence and creativity Marcus du Sautoy and Dr. Emily L. Spratt to join the set to share their opinion on the ground-breaking initiative. Hava Aldouby, Art Historian and Fellini expert, as well as Anita Todesco, Galleria Campari curator were also consulted, providing an eclectic view on the subject, sparking debate around the role Artificial Intelligence can play in creativity and beyond.
“We should see Artificial Intelligence as an extraordinary collaborator; it’s a new tool, like Galileo getting a telescope and being able to see further into the universe than ever before,” said Marcus du Sautoy, Artificial Intelligence & Creativity Expert. “Artificial Intelligence is a tool that allows us to analyze data at a scale that humanly, we can’t possibly match. In this project, one of the Artificial Intelligence’s greatest accomplishments was taking Fellini’s films and analyzing each, frame by frame. Using this tool in the creative industry is an extremely exciting step forward and will assist in finding ideas that we are currently missing – Artificial Intelligence can help us break our own molds to create new stories”
Through the Campari Red Diaries 2021 Fellini Forward project, Campari aims to continue the legacy of innovation and creativity set out by its founders, inspiring future generations and creatives across the globe to unlock their own passions. Campari has also created a unique apprentice program with students involved in the Fellini Forward futuristic projects from all over the world including Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia (CSC) in Italy, The American Film Institute in Los Angeles and The International Academy of Audio-visual Sciences (CSIA) in Switzerland to explore the creative genius of Fellini, using the Artificial Intelligence technology and speaking to key members of the film crew at each stage of production to see first-hand how human minds collaborated with Artificial Intelligence to create the short film.
“We are so pleased to be back with our Campari Red Diaries project in 2021, honoring the creative legacy of one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Federico Fellini,” commented Jean Jacques Dubau, Head of Marketing, Campari Group. “At Campari we look to push the boundaries of innovation in creativity and have done so for over 160 years, with a view to leave a lasting legacy for future generations inviting them to explore their Red Passion, the urge of creativity that cannot be ignored. We hope that the endeavor of Fellini Forward will transport people in the past, and in the future, exploring creative genius in brand new ways, while enjoying an iconic Campari cocktail such as the Negroni.”
For more information, head over to Campari’s official website. Check out a trailer for the short film below.
In October, Campari partnered with artists from across the globe to launch a new digital campaign, Red Passion. The content invites the audience to discover their own passion, and encourages them to give it shape in the path to creation.
Earlier this month, Moët Hennessy and Campari Group announced the formation of a 50/50 joint venture with the purpose of investing in Wines & Spirits e-commerce companies and building a European e-commerce pure player.