The Mystery of Dante

2014 Italian film

The Mystery of Dante

film poster

Directed by| Louis Nero
Written by| Louis Nero
Produced by|

* Franco Nero
* Louis Nero

Starring|

* F. Murray Abraham
* Taylor Hackford
* Franco Zeffirelli
* Christopher Vogler
* Valerio Manfredi

Cinematography| Louis Nero
Edited by| Louis Nero
Music by|

* Steven Mercurio
* Ryland Angel

Production
company

L'Altrofilm

Distributed by| L'Altrofilm

Release date

* February 14, 2014 (2014-02-14)

Running time

| 100 minutes
Country| Italy
Language| Italian

The Mystery of Dante (Italian: Il mistero di Dante) is a 2014 Italian independent film written and directed by Louis Nero that explores The Divine Comedy though a documentary-style look at the life and philosophy of Dante Alighieri.[1][2][3]

## Production

[edit]

The film was shot in the basement of the Macello castle and in Turin.[2] It includes cultural references from Shakespeare, the Sufis (all of Ibn Arabi), and including Luigi Valli, Gabriele Rossetti, René Guénon, Miguel Asín Palacios, and also religious origins of literature, from Muslim, Jewish and Indian traditions back to the Epic of Gilgamesh. Inspired by the work of Gustave Doré, the animations express the esoteric world with respect.[1][4][5]

## Plot

[edit]

The film investigates the life and philosophy of Dante Alighieri through a series of interviews with intellectuals, artists, masons and men of faith who guide the viewer in discovering a little-known side of the man considered the father of the Italian language. This includes analysis of the cardinal points of The Divine Comedy and references to the Western tradition of initiation, secret lodges, membership or not, which accompany the viewer in a different approach to the study of Dante Alighieri. The film's first ten minutes are presented in a found footage format, before segueing into a series of interviews interspersed with occasional animations.

## Cast

[edit]

* F. Murray Abraham as Dante Alter Ego

Interviewees

* Taylor Hackford
* Franco Zeffirelli
* Christopher Vogler
* Valerio Manfredi
* Roberto Giacobbo
* Riccardo Di Segni
* Massimo Introvigne
* Giancarlo Guerreri
* Marcello Vicchio
* Aurora Distefano
* Silvano Agosti
* Diana Dell'Erba
* Mamadou Dioumé
* Gabriele La Porta
* Abd al Wahid Pallavicini
* S.E. Agostino Marchetto

## Reception

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La Stampa called the film an ambitious project, and a meeting with the potential heirs of the Fedeli d'Amore.[6]

Sentieri Selvaggi wrote that the film is full of both symbolism and pathos, offering an over-the-top popularization that is an overly emotional prophetic mission which carries an amazing truth. It said that the best way to describe Louis Nero's efforts would be as ambitious, with the flavor of maturity. It noted the inclusion of references to the works of scholars, including Valerio Massimo Manfredi, Gabriele La Porta, Silvano Agosti, Robert Jacob and Franco Zeffirelli, transferred into a series of interviews accompanied by certain fictions, in a sort of mockumentary in which the principals are summoned by the secret community "The Brothers of Love", whose representatives have decided to release a witness. The film is accompanied by music composed by Steven Mercurio and Ryland Angel.[4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Casini, Silvia (March 11, 2014). "Cinema – "Il mistero di Dante": intervista a Louis Nero". Diretta News (in Italian). Retrieved June 14, 2014.
2. ^ a b "Il regista Louis Nero a Pinerolo racconterà "Il mistero di Dante"". L'Eco del Chisone (in Italian). May 17, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
3. ^ "Cinema Vip: sul grande schermo "Il mistero di Dante"". NovaraToday (in Italian). May 30, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2014.
\- "Il Mistero di Dante di Louis Nero all'Odeon Firenze" (in Italian). Comune di Firenze. June 3, 2014. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
\- "Il mistero di Dante". Film Up (in Italian). Archived from the original on July 18, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
4. ^ a b Caterina, Elena (February 13, 2014). "Il mistero di Dante, di Louis Nero". Sentieri Selvaggi (in Italian). Retrieved June 14, 2014.
5. ^ Caterina, Elena (February 13, 2014). "Il mistero di Dante, di Louis Nero". Sentieri Selvaggi (in Italian). Retrieved June 14, 2014.
6. ^ "Il Mistero di Dante, il trailer in anteprima". La Stampa (in Italian). October 29, 2013. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* The Mystery of Dante at IMDb