Poster for the film 'Anime di legno' showing a wooden puppet with butterfly wings and Italian text.

A pilgrimage through contemporary puppet theater in Italy.

Anime di legno journeys across Italy to meet the artists and artisans who continue to renew the art of puppetry. Along the way, the film reveals the intimate relationship between performers and their animated objects, tracing the roots of inspiration and the enduring force that keeps this ancient yet vital art form alive.

Directed by
Federico Pacchioni

Feauturing
Angelo Sicilia
Burattini a Bologna
Burattinificio di Mammadraga
Casa Guarattelle
Compagnia Marionettistica Carlo Colla & Figli
I burattini di Mattia
La Marionettistica dei Fratelli Napoli
Marta Cuscunà
Romano Danielli
Teatro del Drago
Teatro Medico Ipnotico

Producted by
Anima Films

Photo Gallery

  • Silhouettes of two puppeteers holding puppets against a window with curtains.
  • A puppeteer wearing glasses and a beige jacket creates a flame through a pipe inside a puppet theater with red curtains, wooden shelves, and hanging bags, illuminated by bright lights and a fire or explosion in the background.
  • A puppeteer a puppet that looks like an elderly woman with gray hair and glasses, surrounded by various handcrafted puppets and dolls on a table. The background features framed posters and photographs on the wall.
  • A puppeteer with dark curly hair wearing a black jacket, facing a display of puppets, with a colorful poster on the wall behind them.
  • A puppeteer with dark curly hair and earrings smiling as she interacts with a puppet in front of a red curtain.
  • A Pulcinella puppet show where the puppeteer is interacting with the puppet in front of the stage, which is decorated with red fabric, gold trim, and gold silhouette figures, with the scenery depicted in the background.
  • Hands of marionettists working on the bridge space photographed from backstage.
  • A puppeteer wearing black shirt and glasses animating a pupo with a snake and a colorful, patterned fabric backdrop.
  • A puppeteer holding a detailed zebra-shaped mask, partially covering their face, outdoors with green foliage in the background.
  • Stage marionette scene with puppets of children riding a dinosaur, a person in striped clothing, and a person on a skateboard, with cityscape and trees background.

The Team

Director: Federico Pacchioni
Assistant Director: Maria Giménez Cavallo
Cinematography: Ayuj Consul
Second Camera: Maria Giménez Cavallo
Editing: Leonardo Minati

Sound Recordist: Leonardo Minati
Color Correction: Elena Negri
Sound Design: Bertrand Chaumeton
Composers: Adam Borecki and Federico Pacchioni

Producers:
Anima Films: Maria Giménez Cavallo, Jo Ann Cavallo
Ginko Films: Chiara Andrich, Andrea Mura

Featured Artists

Burattini a Bologna

Burattini a Bologna

I Burattini di Mattia

I Burattini di Mattia

Burattinificio di Mammadraga

Burattinificio di Mammadraga

Teatro del Drago

Teatro del Drago

Teatro Medico Ipnotico

Teatro Medico Ipnotico

Teatro delle Guarattelle

Teatro delle Guarattelle

Compagnia Marionettistica Carlo Colla & Figli

Compagnia Marionettistica Carlo Colla & Figli

The Marionette Company Fratelli Napoli

The Marionette Company Fratelli Napoli

Marta Cuscunà

Marta Cuscunà

Download the Press Kit

ARCHIVAL EXTRAS
(coming soon)