Food for the Beast
A Tribute to Dario Argento for the National Museum of Cinema, directed by Roberto Agagliate
A hybrid sonic architecture between tension and sound design
Food 4 the Beast: The Tribute and the Exhibit
This project was conceived as an ambitious tribute to the cinema of Dario Argento, created on the occasion of the major retrospective "DARIO ARGENTO. THE EXHIBIT" at the Mole Antonelliana in Turin.
Food 4 the Beast is an immersive narrative extension of Argento’s universe, reworking themes of "seeing without understanding," incommunicability, and urban dreamlike solipsism within a contemporary context. Produced by Biplani and the Mirafiori Social Cooperative, the film serves as a bridge between the golden age of Italian Giallo and modern cinematic expression.
An Institutional Network for Tomorrow's Cinema
Patronized by the National Museum of Cinema, the film involved the active collaboration of Film Commission Torino Piemonte, ITER, and local foundations.
This synergy transformed Turin into a sprawling set, rooting Argento’s "dark" aesthetic in iconic locations such as Via Roma, Piazza San Carlo, and Piazza C.L.N.
The Film: 70s Aesthetics and Digital Nightmares
Directed by Roberto Agagliate, the plot follows ten aspiring influencers caught between social media superficiality and the dark abyss of a Deep Web hacker. The film strictly adheres to "Argentian coordinates": obsessive close-ups, saturated colors, and high-contrast lighting reminiscent of masterpieces like Deep Red or The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.
Sonic Architecture: EastWest Orchestral Tension
The score is a hybrid architecture designed to translate the boundary between reality and the Deep Web into music. To achieve this timbral spectrum, I utilized the entire EastWest ecosystem: cinematic tensions from Hollywood Strings, horror atmospheres from Ghostwriter (featuring Dist Cello and Ebow Guitar), and the ethereal textures of Hollywood Choirs.
The use of Spaces 2 convolution reverb allowed for the sculpting of sonic environments consistent with the narrative's dark geometries. The technical refinement culminated in the official mixing at the APM Studios in Saluzzo, a prestigious college of Music and New Technologies.
The Premiere: Official Screening at Cinema Massimo (Turin)
The journey of Food 4 the Beast reached its climax on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, with an exclusive screening at Sala 3 of Cinema Massimo in Turin. Held in the beating heart of the National Museum of Cinema, the event was a collective celebration for the cast, crew, and project coordinators.
Created specifically for the exhibition "DARIO ARGENTO. THE EXHIBIT," the 37-minute film was presented as a work of participatory cinema that honored the Master of Horror just steps away from the Mole Antonelliana. The evening concluded with a Q&A session between the audience and the young protagonists, sealing the success of an experience that merged education, territorial roots, and high-quality filmmaking.
Sonic Symbolism: The Mirrored Theme
A key element of the film's narrative architecture lies in the semantic treatment of melody. In a crucial scene, a melody inspired by Handel's aria "Ombra mai fu" is introduced. However, the theme is presented through a specular melodic inversion: every interval of the original aria is flipped, transforming a moment of grace into a disturbing, distorted reality.
This "Mirror Theme" represents the protagonist's perceptual distortion, where memory and the present reflect each other in a deformed state.