TIDAL PULL

MANFREDI MARINI never thought he’d be an actor. Faced with the abyss of post-adolescence, he decided to take on a suggestion and audition for the movie Diciannove. In his breakout role, Marini plays Leonardo, a nineteen-year-old drifting for meaning. The film also marks the debut of director Giovanni Tortorici, developed in close proximity to Luca Guadagnino, an influence felt in its intimate storytelling. Diciannove ran (and conquered) last year’s international film festival circuit. Manfredi might be new to this world, but he certainly isn’t green. And, even if it required a nudge, the attraction towards the film industry was immediate, gravitational. Acting has become the axis around which everything else in his life turns. Including a newfound love for fashion — sitting front row at Dior this past season and posing for the JW Anderson campaign. For him, it’s all art.

So lovely to talk to you! It struck me how young you were, yet how brilliant you are in Diciannove. When did you discover acting?

I discovered it completely by chance. I was 17 and in my final year of classical high school. I had a thousand ideas about my future, as is normal at that age, but acting definitely wasn’t one of them, when a teacher suggested that I audition for Diciannove. So, I discovered it through great coincidence and luck.

When did you understand it as a way through which you could express yourself?

I was going through a time of great personal difficulty, but I had to go abroad to shoot a film: the idea tore me apart, and I was still experiencing acting as a burden rather than a freedom. I was very lucky because my family was extremely close to me, showing me unconditional love; that’s how we managed to shoot everything we needed to shoot, setting personal problems aside, and I felt freer than ever.

Left Jacket **Dolce&Gabbanab**, tank top **Louis Vuitton**
Right Jewellery **Louis Vuitton**

You came to acting without formal training. What do you think that gave you that acting school might not have?

I think about it often, but it’s a delicate subject. In Italy, you’re often not looked upon very favourably if you don’t have a so-called traditional training. I believe that, like everything, it has its pros and cons: it certainly gave me a lot of expressive freedom, both in the use of my voice and my body. At the same time, I think I may be less “perfect,” but in a certain sense, I like that, also because I love portraying true or plausible stories, and when you study them, you realise how imperfect people are from almost every point of view. So, I think it can give me more “truth.”

As you mentioned, Diciannove was your debut. What scared you the most before stepping on set for the first time?

Every morning, before going on set, the thought was: “Will I be able to perform these scenes today?” Fear of not being up to the project and the director, Giovanni. A fear that, however, put a lot of pressure on me and through which I understood something very important about how I function: under pressure, I react much better.

Left Sweater and apron **Miu Miu**, shirt **N°21**
Right Jacket **Bottega Veneta**, top **Isabel Marant**

How do you protect your sense of self while playing emotionally intense roles?

When I have the privilege of approaching a new character, I try to enter it with body and soul: I allow it to enter my personal life, I try to study him and his “creator” in every detail and then, if I have enough time, to become that character. I clearly still have so much to improve, but I love having the opportunity to go through this process: it allows you to change and to delve deeply into many aspects of life. It also becomes a search for myself, for my own sake.

I don’t think I’m very capable of it yet. As I said, I have a lot to improve, but I’ll get there: I’m young, and I need to grow, mature, and get to know myself. What I try to do to protect myself, perhaps in a selfish way, is to keep the people I love close to me, to have a sort of constant reality check.

What surprised you most about yourself while watching Diciannove for the first time?

What surprised me was the fact that it didn’t bother me: in part I recognised myself in him, and in part I didn’t. This allowed me to enjoy the film as if I hadn’t made it myself.

Left Full look **Gucci**
Full look **Dolce&Gabbana**

That’s such a wonderful skill to have off the bat. It’s something that can take seasoned actors years to conquer. Which filmmakers inspire you?

mm: The people I truly had the chance to engage with were several, but in particular Giovanni Tortorici and Luca Guadagnino. They are figures from whom I’ve learned a great deal, both professionally and humanly. Giovanni, above all, taught me how to do this job and introduced me to a world that, as I’ve already said, has become my life. And for that reason, I will always be grateful to him. Beyond work, however, a strong friendship has also developed between us, which I care about deeply.

Speaking of friendships, you’ve become a fashion darling. What attracts you to the industry?

The fact that it is an art and, as such, it observes and reflects other arts, artists, and the world that surrounds it.

Do you see parallels between fashion and film?

mm: Definitely. I believe that all the arts necessarily communicate with one another, and I like to think that there is a constant collaboration. For example, Jonathan Anderson’s work for Challengers and Queer comes to mind: it’s an ideal demonstration of a very precise dialogue between fashion and cinema.