I revisited this film on the occasion of Reto Andrea Savoldelli's birthday today, I rank him as one of the most obscure filmmaker ever. His name rarely appears in the forums and watch list of experimental, arthouse and avantgarde lovers. Since 1966, his track record includes only six titles (in 2020 still waiting for his new creation called 'Hieronymus'). Reto was born in 20 December 1949, but his roots belong to Italy and he is a child of Italian immigrants, but he took his first steps in cinema while already in school and experimented with 8mm and 16 mm accompanied by Stephan Portmann , co-founder and first long-term director of the Solothurn Film Festival.
He has never been an object of close attention in the Famous film festivals circuits but has been appreciated by auteurs for his works in the 70s.
Briefly to the plot, "Stella Da Falla" follows Reto Andrea Savoldelli as Elima a shepherd, speaking the language of the elves and lives with his mother in a hut set in 14th century. He turns 18 and takes off in air balloon to explore the world with a farewell from his father. The stage is set for the constant transformation of Elima in search of identity and self, the man without character immersed in anthropophagic aesthetics in different timelines intertwined by natural and cultural world. Reto's self-exploratory tale is part imagery and dream sequences and poetic journey at the same time from a purely visual point of view.
In addition, this would never be what it is without the great music of Jody Purpora (Tax Free) which is a fine balance between psychedelic folk and rock. This euphony between the greatness of the sound and a certain backstage of the story itself is what takes the film to a whole new level. It can be witnessed in the climax sequence with strobes of illuminations intertwined with symbolisms injected with surreal dance choreography both simple and compelling like Kate Bush mixed with Raja Ram and Atomic Rooster, the Character 'Stella da Falla' dancing inside its allotted space before expulsion in a new kind.
Final thoughts, filmed in the Swiss mountains, in southern Italy and in India 'Stella Da Falla" is an extraordinary work in the spirit of Chappaqua (1966) and the result is a vinaigrette of esotericism and beliefs through the course of time, spaces and social classes. With his surreal performances, frequent nudity and great score, "Stella Da Falla" survives as a glorious and insane artifact of its time. A film only for the acquired taste and a zeitgeist of the 70s. Born day wishes to Reto Andrea Savoldelli.
