One of the most valuable and strategic collaborations for Terre di Cinema (TDC) is our official partnership with INDA (National Institute of Ancient Drama). Students from the Syracuse Academy actively participate in the auditions for the CineCampus short films, representing a fundamental resource and an invaluable asset for our international crews. Every year, the convergence of solid classical theatre training and experimental shooting on film creates a unique artistic synergy. In this interview, INDA student Arianna Angioli shares the magic of this experience, confirming that for the 2026 season, the institute will once again actively participate in the CineCampus activities, with her and her fellow students ready to take the stage.

A Love Affair with Syracuse and the INDA Academy

Terre di Cinema: Arianna, welcome. The partnership between Terre di Cinema and INDA proves how much the dialogue between cinema and theatre can enrich young professionals. Tell us how your journey with this prestigious institution began.

Arianna Angioli: I am 27 years old, and I discovered the INDA Foundation while writing my bachelor’s thesis at the University of Pisa. In 2022, I went to Syracuse to watch Oedipus Rex directed by Robert Carsen, starring Giuseppe Sartori, and I fell completely in love with the place. At the time, I was living in Portugal for my master’s degree, where I was already working as an actress in international theatre and film projects. However, my desire to return to Italy and work in that magical theatre was too strong. In 2024, I completed a master’s internship at INDA as an assistant director and archival researcher. Wanting to fully experience the academy, I auditioned in September and was accepted.

Terre di Cinema: How is the academic and practical life structured within the Academy?

Arianna Angioli: It’s an extremely selective and intense three-year program: every year, between 200 and 250 candidates audition, but the classes range from 20 to 26 students. We work nine hours a day, six days a week, studying technical subjects such as lyrical singing, choral singing, stage dance, and acting in the mornings, and then working in the afternoons in two- or three-week modules with different directors from all over Italy. In April, rehearsals for the main shows begin. The timeline is incredibly tight—about 20 to 25 days of rehearsals—to manage massive casts that can reach 40 or 50 people.

The Echo of Classical Tragedy: From Aeschylus to Contemporary Directors

Terre di Cinema: This year, you had the opportunity to perform on the stage of the Greek Theatre for the entire season. What does it mean for an actress to perform in such a space?

Arianna Angioli: Performing in front of 5,000 spectators as the sun sets and the evening lights come up gives you goosebumps. There is a powerful historical connection: it is said that Aeschylus himself acted in and staged The Persians right here in Syracuse, with a text from 470 BC that still resonates today with incredible force. This year, I had the privilege of working in all three seasonal productions, facing radically different directorial visions.

For The Persians, directed by Àlex Ollé (from the famous Catalan company La Fura dels Baus), three cameras were set up on stage to capture the actors’ close-ups. This allowed the audience sitting on the highest tiers not to miss a single facial expression, without forcing us actors to waste energy on overly amplified acting. Alcestiwas directed by the Italian director Filippo Dini. Finally, Sophocles’ Antigone, performed for the 2026 season under the memorable direction of Robert Carsen, achieved extraordinary success: this acclaimed production was nominated for Best Prose Show at the 2026 Le Maschere del Teatro Italiano awards, and the director received the prestigious Eschilo d’Oro. Working with Carsen was incredible; I remember that in the chorus, he urged us to utter dramatic words related to death and destruction with a smile and an unexpected lightness, forcing us to overturn our linguistic and emotional reflexes.

The CineCampus: INDA Students on the International Set

Terre di Cinema: INDA students are a crucial resource for the international directors arriving at the CineCampus. Last year, you starred in the short film ONE, TWO, THREE…JUMP directed by Zahraa Shams, a director from Bahrain. How did the casting and preparation go?

Arianna Angioli: It was a magical encounter. I had shown up to the casting almost on a whim, following a friend’s suggestion. While I was waiting outside with my classmates from the Academy, Zahraa came out to get some fresh air, looked at me, and immediately told me I was perfect for the role. Her script touched upon strings very close to my private life, such as a profound bond with a brother and a house in the countryside. Filippo Tomasello, also an INDA student and my classmate, was cast as the co-star in the role of my brother.

On set, the crew was an extraordinary multicultural mix, composed of participants coming from Rome, Morocco, Brazil, and Greece. Although the initial working language was English, Zahraa realized that acting in a foreign language risked blocking our expressive spontaneity. She therefore chose to have us perform in Italian, allowing us to unleash an enormous emotional capacity that is fully reflected in the quality of the short film.

The Challenge and Freedom of Analog Film: Between Super 16 and Super 8

Terre di Cinema: At the CineCampus, shooting is done exclusively on analog film, with a very low shooting ratio (often 2:1). This means having very few minutes available and very few takes. How did you experience this technical constraint?

Arianna Angioli: In a totally unexpected way: I felt much freer. When shooting in digital, you often repeat the same scene endlessly, and as an actor, you risk losing focus or getting tired, feeling like you never quite get to the point. With film, however, you know you have only one real opportunity: your attention and energy are concentrated into a single moment. This need for “one good take” gave me a great sense of calm and expressive freedom.

We shot everything in record time, mostly in Super 16 (s16) format. The most exciting part, however, was the underwater night scenes shot in the sea, for which we used Super 8 (s8) film. There was that strong apprehension typical of analog—”Will it work? What will the underwater rendering be like?”—but the camera operator from the crew was thrilled, and there was so much heart on set that the underwater sequence in s8 became one of the best moments of the entire work.

Future Outlook for the New CineCampus Season

Terre di Cinema: The wonderful news is that this fruitful synergy continues. This year, INDA will once again actively participate in Terre di Cinema’s activities, and you will be among the actresses available for the new productions. This year, we have introduced a major novelty: Italian director Fabio Mollo is the supervisor of the screenwriting module for TDC26 under the Extended CineCampus Project. This special project was selected by the “Per Chi Crea” call, promoted by SIAE and MIC (Italian Ministry of Culture), which awarded 6 scholarships to six young Italian and/or Italy-resident screenwriters. Fabio will lead a table reading phase with the actors interested in the casting. How are you welcoming this opportunity at the Academy?

Arianna Angioli: With great enthusiasm!. Last year, seeing us on set, many of my classmates were curious and fascinated by the project. I have already mentioned this year’s collaboration and the idea of the table reading with Fabio Mollo to several of them, which we consider an exceptional growth opportunity. I will gladly take on the role of coordination and liaison between Terre di Cinema and all the INDA students interested in participating. We can’t wait to start and bring our artistic contribution to the set!.

photo credits: Michele Pantano.