Nettuno is a 16mm experimental film blending analogue techniques with AI. The short film narrates the encounter between the artist and the protagonist: a youth of androgynous beauty, undefined and free from social and gender constraints. Throughout the duration of the video, the protagonist moves within ritualistic gestures of great expressive intensity in an undefined space-time. “The body is just a shell to be abandoned for a new one” when the inner self feels constrained by societal, gender, temporal, and spatial limitations.” These words convey the meaning of the element mentioned in the title of the work: the shell. Inspired by the writings of Paul Valery (Homme Et la Coquille) and Josè Munoz (Cruising Utopia), the artist uses this object as a metaphor for Neptune’s body. The shell, derived from mollusks, is the perfect casing for these creatures in constant transformation and metamorphosis. Thus, the work represents the eternal beauty of reconfiguration.
Niccolò Montanari: In Nettuno: Birth of a Shell you have beautifully illustrated the symbolic reference of the shell as the queer body’s defiance against conventional notions of identity and societal constraints. Could you please share how you developed the concept for this film and how you drew inspiration from the works of Paul Valery and José Esteban Muñoz?
Emma Scarafiotti: The concept of the film evolved from my initial, unexpected encounter with Nettuno. From that moment on, I became intrigued by his story, finding it deeply resonant with my own understanding of queer identity. I realised that the notion of queerness extended beyond mere gender definitions; as Josè Estaben Munoz eloquently described, it embodies the potential of our ultimate human essence. A state of perpetual cruising towards a post-human utopia can already be glimpsed through the lens of queerness.
During this time, I was reading Paul Valery’s book, Homme et la Conquille, in which the author compares shells to humans, working as perfect examples of their capacity for continuous reconfiguration and ever-changing forms. It was then that I recogdnised the intriguing parallel between queer identity and the birth of shells, as an interesting root to investigate. My research delved deeper, considering queerness as a catalyst for investigating interspecies connections and the potential of the queer body to inhabit a liminal space between the human, non-human, and virtual.
NM: You have talked about how using AI allowed you to enhance the “raw materiality” of the film, employing a technique called “outpainting” to portray such unique and mesmerising visuals. Could you delve deeper into the power of AI in filmmaking and how this technique, in particular, allowed you to add visual and narrative dimension to the film?
ES: For me, AI is primarily a tool. However, I decided to incorporate its use in the film to highlight the strong connection that technology holds with queerness. The infinite possibilities and the ability of artificial intelligence to continually generate new variants and visual solutions became a metaphor for the idea of infinite reconfiguration that a body can undergo along its journey, especially within a virtual dimension. In the virtual realm, the body has no limits, making it an ideal platform for the futurity of Queer. I believe that AI reflects the potential of humans to express their endless alternative visions and horizons. In particular, in the film, AI allowed me to push the boundaries of the initial frame while collaborating with the machine to imagine what the invisible scene could entail. Furthermore, I employed artificial intelligence to generate unconventional anthropomorphic, quirky shells that continuously reconfigured and evolved from their original form.
NM: The artistic visual language which we are guided through with a distant voice-over, creates the sense that the subject is a case study being documented. What influenced your decision to portray the process of transformation in a scientific way against an artistic backdrop? How did these contrasting stylistic choices contribute to the exploration of queerness in the context of a post-human utopia?
ES: The idea that the queer body extends beyond its physical constraints, reaching out to engage in dialogue with other species, was the reason why I decided to adopt a scientific tone in contrast to a poetic and artistic one. The archival footage with the original sound of scientists’ discoveries created an overlaying of narratives that allowed me to describe a deeper revelation of Nettuno’s identity and could also lead me to bridge the gap between the two realms of humans and shells. The implication of the AI narrator enhanced the intention that the voice was emanating from a distant dimension. A bodiless voice, of an alienated involucrum that is meant to be abandoned for a new one. This decision was intended to create an engaging tension between a certain cold distance and a more intimate dimension for the protagonist and his memories.
NM: The flow and interconnectedness of elements in your film, from the sound design to the colours and set, contribute to an intimate atmosphere evocative of the sea and the natural world. How did your collaboration with cinematographer Ricardo Pellegrino and approach to editing, create such a seamless visual display?
ES: In most of my work, I tend to create harmony between each element – all reflecting their concept and research. When I finished the script and envisioned the film’s visual identity, I discussed it with cinematographer Riccardo Pellegrino, and together, we began considering the best approach to achieve this. I aimed to translate this tactile bodily experience in contrast with a virtual dimension, even through the choice of medium. Therefore, we decided on using 16mm film, which would then be pushed to its limits by the implications of the AI outpointing technique on the original analog frame. We chose to paint the film with warm, soft-light photography to evoke a sensorial experience, carefully crafting precise color coordination and palettes for every scene, to create an emotional scenography. The editing process did not adhere to a narrative-driven storytelling style but rather followed a sensorial and instinctive sequence with a circular and ritualistic pace.
NM: Your relationship with the film’s subject, Nettuno, seems to have played a significant role in portraying queerness as a fluid and ever-changing identity. Could you discuss how your relationship with Nettuno influenced Birth of a Shell, particularly in articulating the notion of identity beyond gender?
ES: The focal point of most of my artworks is the relationship with the subject. In this case the process originated from an exchange between Nettuno’s inner world and mine, operating on a different level yet connected by similar feelings of otherness and outsider status. Upon meeting, our conversations over coffee and cigarettes revolved around the sensation of being restrained by societal judgments. Nettuno, being transgender, is particularly sensitive to these themes, prompting my desire to create a safe space for him to recount his intimate journey, discoveries, fears, and obstacles.
Subsequently, our discussions transitioned to queerness, not solely as it pertains to gender, but as something transcendent, involving a continuous questioning of ourselves, a rejection to feel confined or finished within our body limits, and a recognition of our simultaneous existence across various species.
Beyond the film’s status as an outstanding piece of art, what do you hope viewers will take away? Do you have any exciting plans to take the film further?
I hope that people can see themselves reflected in the film while discovering new ways to perceive reality and broaden their perspectives toward alternative existences. I believe that viewers can develop emotional connections and be guided through the film without necessarily receiving a definitive answer. My intention is for them to experience and immerse themselves in a subconscious exploration that has no predetermined conclusion. The most rewarding reaction that I received from viewers has been their instinctive connection to Nettuno as a conduit for a message that resonates with everyone, regardless of their age or gender. In regards to plans for the future, the film is going to be showcased in several art venues and upcoming screening events. Additionally, I am planning to organise an exhibit with a curator presenting Nettuno alongside some of my previous video art pieces. In the meantime, I am already working on the next art film, this time focusing on dance and technology.