Experimental nominee

In 2023, I embarked on a journey back to my roots, to the heart of Monte Amiata, a volcano located in the centre of Tuscany. This land, which I have always considered a refuge, has changed over time, shaped by the invisible but powerful forces of economy and technology. Monte Amiata, with its millennial history, has seen a significant transformation, not only in its natural landscape, but also in its architecture and infrastructure.
The landscape, once dominated by unspoilt nature, now coexists with artificial elements such as pipes, prefabs and electrical systems. Nature itself, under the influence of these forces, seems to have lost its authenticity, becoming artificial at times, almost forced in its attempt to coexist with progress.
In this context, I have chosen red as the leitmotif of my photographic project. Red becomes the medium through which I explore the discrepancy between the natural landscape and human intervention. The images reveal a visual dialogue between the past and the present, between nature and technology, between the authentic and the artificial.

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Lorenzo Gonnelli, born in 1994 in the province of Grosseto, distinguishes himself as a director, screenwriter and photographer. After graduating with honours in Visual Communication from the European Institute of Design in Milan, he began directing music videos for the Cave Canem record label. These works are selected in several international festivals, including the Toronto International Music Video Festival, Too Drunk To Watch Punk Film Fest in Berlin, Wasteland Film Festival and Moscow Shorts. In 2017 he worked as an editor on the audiovisual installation ‘SHEEP- SHEEP’ by Antonio D’Addio, presented at the 2017 Venice Art Biennale. Since 2018 he has been actively collaborating with Q2Visual, creating video mapping shows presented at prestigious events such as Klang in Rome, Sziget Festival and Eurosonic Noorderslag. In 2023, the screenplay of the short film Catene was selected for major film programmes and festivals, including ShorTS Development & Pitching Training, the Figari Film Festival and the Omladinski Film Festival in Sarajevo, also winning the Sentiero Film Lab award. Also in the same year, Gonnelli participated in the Nouvelle Bug Vol. 2 workshop organised by Il Varco.

In 2024 he produced and directed the short film Animali Senza Dio (Godless Animals), currently in distribution.