Locarno HomeMade Movies

Let’s go! Discover the superhero in you!

The new edition of Locarno Kids HomeMade Movies, the Locarno Film Festival's educational journey that will introduce you to the secrets of cinema by making you into a superhero, is about to start.

#1 How are superheroes born?

Locarno Film Festival artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro, a big fan of comic books and superhero stories, meets Gabriele Mainetti, the director who brought superpowers to Italian cinema with Lo chiamavano Jeeg Robot and Freaks Out. 

#2 Strength or weakness: What is a superpower?

Director Samuele Rossi talks us through his offbeat superhero movie Glassboy: it features a masked hero, just not the kind we might expect…

Why did Samuele want to tell this story?

#3 How do you create a superhero or superheroine?

Samuele Rossi tells us how he created and wrote his superheroes. To start with, what makes one? What are the qualities that make superheroes special – so special they can change the world?

#4 The power of the mask

Makeup artist for film and theater Sofia Buob tells us how she got the idea for her superheroine mask and costume.

#5 An example of transformation

Sofia, with the help of model Giorgia, shows us a real-life transformation. Be inspired – let your imagination run free to create your own superhero or superheroine mask and costume.

#6 Shooting starts

In this episode Luca Botturi will give us a few tips on how to start shooting our film. What equipment do we need? What must we make sure we get right? How can we make our images “speak” to viewers?

#7 The editing effect

Luca shows us how to achieve some special effects using simple tricks of editing. But what is editing? And how can you use this technique to show off your superpowers on film?

#8 A bit of magic…

How do they do those incredible special effects in movies? Luca tells us how some amazing illusions can be created using nothing more than a big green cloth or drape as a “green screen”.

#9 Now it’s time to show off your superpowers

We’ve been on a long journey together – we’ve been transformed into superheroes and superheroines, we’ve given free rein to our imagination in creating our costumes, and we’ve learnt some of the basic tricks of movie-making.

All that’s left for you to do now is to send the short film you’ve made to the Locarno Film Festival – there are plenty of surprises in store for you!