Temporary Queens
“Ladies from dusk till dawn”
In Italy, working in nightclubs and discos is often seen as unprofessional, and artists who dress as women and entertain on the dance floors often do so to supplement their monthly income, as a hobby or an extra job. This lowers the quality, fees, and credibility of the professionals. The documentary follows four professionals in the industry, capturing their work activities and interviewing them about the instability that characterizes their work and personal choices.
The film was shot over twenty-four months, alternating interviews with long, silent observations where the camera follows the subjects closely without influencing them. A significant observational effort in nightclubs, aiming to remain unobtrusive while staying as close as possible to the protagonists, is evident throughout. The film is completed with a sparse yet modern soundtrack, relying on sounds and noises, and raw cinematography to capture the live atmosphere experienced during the filming.
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Matteo Tortora
Documentary
70'
Italy, 2017
Italian
Aurora Tieri, Diego Claudio,
Criss Fosella, Valerio Chellini
Black Oaks Pictures,
Materiali Sonori Cinema
​Matteo Marliani e
Federico Cioni
Matteo Laguni
Matteo Tortora
Andrea Rapallini
Federico Bezzi
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Matteo Tortora
An author, director, and editor from Livorno, he has been living and working in Florence for over twelve years. He primarily focuses on documentary filmmaking. He is the author of Italy's first gay-themed mockumentary, "Ubi Tu Gaius Ego Gaia" (2013). In 2015, he directed "La donna pipistrello" (a documentary), and in 2017, "Temporary Queens" (a documentary). With "Il calciatore invisibile," he ideally concludes a trilogy that deeply explores the world of discrimination based on identity and sexual orientation.