Sperandeo heads to Italy

Eleven-year-old director chosen as finalist for film festival

When asked what his favourite part of the Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children was, 11-year-old Marcello Sperandeo replies simply, "Getting to see one of the films you make on a huge screen."
But this modest answer is definitely an understatement. The young Torontonian was the winner of the grades three to six category of the festival's initiative called Jump Cuts: Young Filmmakers Showcase which took place this past April.
Jump Cuts, currently in its second year, is an initiative that presents films for youths, by youths. The finalists were selected by a panel of professional jurors including Semi Chellas, executive producer, head writer and co-creator of the hit CTV series The Eleventh Hour, and Shane Smith, who is the director of the Canadian Film Centre's Worldwide Short Film Festival in Toronto. Entrants were adjudicated based on content, experimentation, form and expression. Sperandeo's Getting to Know Charlie is the first film made for Jump Cuts chosen by another international festival; the Kids for Kids Festival in Bologna, Italy.
Sperandeo first got involved with the festival when his mother brought home a pamphlet about the Sprockets Festival last year. Getting to Know Charlie, which Sperandeo wrote and directed, recounts the story of his relationship with his baby brother. An only child for "10 glorious years" Sperandeo's freedom is soon threatened when his parents, Steve and Carol, announce that they are going to have a baby. While Sperandeo initially thinks that having a younger sibling won't be so bad, he soon realizes that having a baby brother is big trouble. Sperandeo is ignored by family members who coo over little Charlie and must endure sleepless nights because of the baby's crying. Sperandeo comes to think of his baby brother as "(someone who) would always be the enemy."
However, one stormy night when Sperandeo is babysitting Charlie, something changes. When Sperandeo is showing Charlie some karate moves, he sprains his ankle. However, Charlie comes to the rescue by bringing his brother the phone so that he can call their mother. Here, Sperandeo realizes that his brother is a person: a brother and a friend, and that you need to get to know someone first before judging them.
Sperandeo will be attending the Kids for Kids Festival June 20 to 23 in Bologna, Italy, where 50 films will be screened. Kids for Kids features films produced by children for their own peers. There are four categories in which individuals compete: animation, live action, documentary and video-clip. Participants are chosen by an adult selection committee and are divided into two groups: ages six to 12 and ages 13 to 16. Getting to Know Charlie placed in the live action category in the six to 12-year-old age group and will be judged along with other films by a children's jury.
Sperandeo is very excited about attending the festival in Italy, as it will be his first trip out of the continent since he was three years old. "We're very proud of him," says dad Steve Sperandeo, who will be attending the festival with his wife and son.
In a press release, Jane Schoettle, Director of Sprockets, stated, "Sprockets is delighted that a film made by a young Toronto filmmaker for Jump Cuts: Young Filmmakers Showcase has the opportunity to be screened in Europe. We couldn't be happier that Sprockets was able to provide a platform from which Marcello could express his creative voice."
Getting to Know Charlie is Sperandeo's second film. His first, Schickedanz, was about a boy's video camera which kept getting stolen. Sperandeo entered the film in the Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children last year. It won first place, making this the second year in a row that Sperandeo has won the competition.
The young director credits his parents for inspiring him in his budding filmmaking career, as well as films that he has watched. "My inspiration was probably from all the great films I have watched," he says. "It also came from my mom and dad. My dad is a great editor and knows a lot about filmmaking. My mom is an actress. They always told me it was very fun."
Sperandeo lists his favourite films as Mafia and The Matrix. When asked whether he would like to one day work as a director full-time, the grade six student is very enthusiastic: "Yes. I think filmmaking would be fantastic! It is the perfect job for me."
About filmmaking, Sperandeo says that the easiest part is getting "the lines planned in my head." The most difficult he says is "getting the actors to show up on time (to shoot the film)." His advice for young and aspiring filmmakers is simple, yet profound: "A lot of people will say, 'I want to make a movie.' But (they) need to get off (their) feet and work at it." For individuals stumped by a tough case of writer's block, he suggests trying real-life, everyday topics.
Sperandeo's story is inspirational as his hard work and determination demonstrate that there is no limit to the amount of success an individual can achieve. "Anything is possible if you really work at it," he says. And he's proven this true, a hundred times over.
And how is life with Charlie going? "Things are going great with Charlie. He is verrrrry fussy at times but 70 percent of the time he is an angel."

Publication Date: 2003-06-22
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=2866