Séance

Séance is the term used to describe an attempt to communicate with the spirit of a deceased person. Ancarani stages a séance in the house built in Turin by architect Carlo Mollino in the 1960s, now open to the public as a museum. The film begins with the house’s caretaker, Fulvio Ferrari, setting the table for two guests. The camera then focuses on a woman who, with a low, deep voice and closed eyes, begins to refer to herself as a man and speaks about her past life. She is a medium who has connected with the architect’s spirit. The long monologue that follows is spoken by Mollino’s spirit through the woman, as he reflects on himself, his identity as a man and an artist, his pursuit of absolute beauty, his views on life and death, and his many romantic relationships. His words are accompanied by sweeping shots of the house, which Ancarani presents as a mystical and mesmerizing place, enhanced by cinematography that emphasizes the painterly qualities of the space. Mollino, who never lived in the house, had a deep passion for the occult and liked to call it “the house of the warrior’s rest.” The film’s excellent sound design by Mirco Mencacci blends the voices of “spirits” with atmospheric sounds, adding to the film’s haunting and immersive experience.