“I was just 18 when I got my first warning for obscene acts in a public place. Then it became clear to me that this city wasn’t for me.” Fabio Segatori was born in Viterbo in 1962 and spent a third of his life here, as he likes to repeat. Graduated from the Buratti classical high school “with 60/60, I say this with a certain pride”, he underlines, following that warning he took off towards other shores: he lived for two years in Los Angeles, now he is based in Rome “but in ‘Last year I was only there for a month,’ he says. Film director and producer, he turned his youthful passion into a profession that led him to discover the world. However, with his heart always in Viterbo to which he is linked, in addition to his affections, by a profound devotion to Santa Rosa.
Sawers, why did they warn you when you were little more than a teenager?
“I was directing a theater show in San Pellegrino. And I was censored.”
Why ever?
“We performed “Lysistrata” by Aristophanes on stage. A pacifist text: it tells how women no longer wanted to have sex with men because they were busy waging war. We then made phalluses with funnels to wear under the actors’ tunics. Someone had witnessed the dress rehearsal and reported it to the Police Headquarters. The next day the warning arrived at home not to stage the show, scheduled for the following day. What a disappointment, after so many tests.”
But do you know who reported it?
“Yes”.
So?
“If you really insist… A priest. Who was then reported for sexual harassment.”
And did that episode push you to leave Viterbo?
“Yes, then I understood that the city didn’t have the right mentality and it wasn’t the place for me. I am a free person. Let’s be clear: I’m not a dangerous terrorist. My latest documentary is on Father Dall’Oglio, a Jesuit”.
What did he do after?
“I went to Rome to go to university and there I attended Edoardo De Filippo’s school: I understood that film directing was not a hobby”.
And then he ended up in Los Angeles?
“Yes, as a provincial I moved there for two years: I walked around in flip-flops and Bermuda shorts, it’s not as cold as Viterbo. And in the end I shot Hollywood Flies, distributed in 38 countries.”
But has Viterbo forgotten her?
“Never. For me it’s like a young lady to whom you smile but who doesn’t smile back. And then all you have to do is turn on your heel.”
And his connection to Santa Rosa?
“I am very devoted to her. As a child I always followed the transport from Piazza Fontana Grande. And I dreamed of being a Porter, but I’m not very strong or tall. In short, I don’t have the body. Then, in our family we suffer from hernias: the stress test would have been a problem. For this reason, I always felt a bit unlucky.”
Have you also dedicated part of your work to Santa Rosa?
“Yes. In ’91 I made a short film “The Mystery of Rosa”. Then, in 2020 I made the documentary “The Look of Rosa”, an emotional story that shows the Saint’s gaze on the city during transport, thanks to 15 cameras, one of which, invented by me, inserted in the eyes of the statue. A tribute to my parents who lived in Viterbo.”
But does he still return to his hometown?
“Yes, my brother is in Viterbo”.
And his latest work?
“It is the documentary ‘Padre Dall’Oglio’ which tells the story of the Jesuit who passed away in Raqqa, Syria, in 2013 after dedicating his life to religious dialogue between Christianity and Islam. A film that has the support of the Ministry of Culture, made by Baby Film, produced by Paola Columba, in collaboration with Rai documentaries”.
When will it be presented?
“Sunday (today for those reading, ed.) in Rome: already sold out. Tuesday in Milan. Friday 22 November I will be broadcast on Rai3 at 4.10pm and then on RaiPlay”.
Would you like to present it in Viterbo?
“If anyone is interested, yes.”
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