Director Pierro Messina ( Oscilloscope Laboratories)

This Friday, May 20, the indie film The Wait (L’Attesa, original title in Italian) from the Italian director Piero Messina with French actress Juliette Binoche. The Wait (Oscilloscope Laboratories) tells the story of a mother who unexpectedly receives the girlfriend of his son at her home in Sicily as she waits for the arrival of her son. This is the first Piero’s feature movie who worked as assistant director of the acclaimed director Paolo Sorrentino; they worked together at The Great Beauty from 2013. The Wait was also written by Piero in collaboration with Giacomo Bendotti, Ilaria Macchia and Paolo Andrea Massara and was based on the play by Luigi Pirandello. Besides Binoche, the film stars Giorgio Colangeli, Lou Laâge, Domenico Diele, Antonio Folletto and Corinna LoCastro. Let’s check out the interview.

This is your debut film? How does it feel?

I tend to be basically not think to much about it. I am fairly happy.

How was The Wait born? Do you relate to the story?


I had a friend tell me a true story about a man whose son had died and at the funeral and this man decided to ignore the fact that his son had died. He would address his son as if he wasn’t present. All the other people present at the funeral out of respect for this man decided to do the same thing.

This story remained in my mind for a long time but I decided to do a film only when one day thinking of this story brought back childhood memories. Then I started to think why the story of this man would bring me back my childhood memories. I started to write searching for this answer.

How was your movie pointed to Luigi Pirandello tragedy La Vita Che Ti Diedi?

The story of Pirandello was given to me when I had already gone through the third version of the script. The character of the girlfriend that comes from France was inspired by this theatre piece.

The cast is amazing especially Juliette. How was the casting process?

When started the casting process looking for someone like Juliette Binoche but we thought she was impossible to have. We sent the script to her agent anyways and we were very surprised when we received and SMS saying that she has been very touched by the script. I went to Paris to meet with her at her house were we cooked together and talked about the film and after a while she said “See you in Sicily” I have to admit that a certain chemistry started between us.

Why did you pick Sicily to take place your story?

This film is inspired by my childhood memories for me the words “Sicily” and “childhood” are synonyms… two words to say the same thing, so the selection of Sicily as a place for my movie came naturally.

The characters in the film don’t want to face the reality of losing someone. Did you believe that happens frequently?

Yes but the most important part of the film is that the characters decide to share this lie until by sharing it, it becomes the truth. This film is about the strength of this communion. In synthesis this is a film about love.

You’ve worked on two films with Paolo Sorrentino before. How was the collaboration this time around?

Do you feel that you exchanged similar elements? With Paulo I have worked in the past in his movies, but we haven’t collaborated in this movie. I think he hasn’t seen it yet.

In your opinion, what is the message that this story will bring to the audience?

If two people decide to believe together in something it can become a truth.

What you working in any new projects right now?

Yes I just finished a TV series in England and I am starting to write my next feature film.

The Wait premeires today, May 20 in Miami (Bill Cosford Cinema) and June 10 in Boca Raton (Living Room Theaters)

The Wait is already playing in Los Angeles and New York.