“No.I never thought that there was no place for me in the production, but that anything was possible. In the sense that I have never been scared in front of refusals or “no”: I have always moved forward ». Camilla Nesbitt says she doesn’t feel like a “woman of impact”, it would not be defined like that. “Because I have done and do everything with passion. When you have the fire inside you always go forward ».
Camilla Nesbitt is 61 years old. She with Pietro Valsecchi, with whom she founded TaoDue Film in 1991 (which she then left her), she has two children: Virginia, film producer and Filippo, singer-songwriter in art FiloVals. Last year you created CamFilm. Art collector, he is also the president of Verde Tuscia.
Producer, Nesbitt, 61, is one of the most influential characters in cinema and TV. He left there last year TaoDue Film which he managed with his partner Pietro Valsecchi to found the CamFilmnew production house with which he is already creating a new TV series starring Claudio Amendola by title The Patriarch and many other projects, including a film based on Helgolandthe book by Carlo Rovelli.
In France it is almost an icon in the cinema environment. Irréductiblethe remake of the film by Checco Zalone, Here I godirected and starring Jerome Commandeur, released in France on June 29, won the Grand Prix of the 25th edition of the L’Alpe d’Huez Comedy Festival. A triumph that came after the success of another remakealways orchestrated by her, which had a huge success beyond the Alps: Perfect strangers by Paolo Genovese.
“Now that I think about it when I started this job in the 80s there weren’t many producers, decisions were made by men in both the distribution and production fields. In the field of writing there were only the screenwriter Suso Cecchi D’Amico, then came Lina Wertmüller …“.
Camilla Nesbitt: never be afraid
She confesses that she has never been afraid: where does her confidence come from?
From the passion, and then I think a little bit from the character. Many times I have found myself in difficulty, but I have always responded with solutions. It happened in the past that other producers called me to ask me not to hire an actor because they wanted him. Not to brag, but I’ve always reacted and never thought “oh my, now what?”. Even with the second wave of the pandemic, with the crews on set having to stop, I didn’t panic. We did it anyway. Maybe sports helped me. As a girl I played soccer and practiced competitive swimming. It made me competitive. And a little healthy competition is needed to conquer new territories.
With Made in Italy – the TV series on the birth of prêtà-porter fashion in Milan in the 1970s – has given rise to an important cultural operation. How did the idea come about?
I couldn’t get over the fact that our 70s were told only in a dramatic way. I am thinking, for example, of a wonderful film like A bourgeois hero on the Ambrosoli murder. I said to myself: but there is also another point of view, fashion. Made in Italy gave birth to a gigantic industry and gave women a way to express themselves even creatively, Krizia was one of many. You gave me satisfaction but the undertaking, I don’t deny it, was rather complex. It took three years, and a lot of patience, to open all the archives of the brands.
You marked a change of costume on Italian popular TV by introducing women to head the police stations in the series. From Isabella Ferrari in Police District to Simona Cavallari in Antimafia squad.
I liked the idea of introducing female characters into areas that were considered masculine. One day I said: why don’t we try to choose a woman? She seemed modern and contemporary as a novelty, and natural at the same time. I also found it interesting to represent them with limits, fragility or wrong sentimental situations and to tell them.
How did it manage to break into the French market?
I was attracted to their cinematic system: the French are compact in making a system among themselves. In 2019 they sold 200 million tickets, half of us. At first I found a lot of distrust, so I thought that the best thing would be to take our successes across the Alps and adapt them. Perfect strangers totaled 1 million and 700 thousand admissions. My next target is the Spanish market, which is very lively.
“Gender? I’m looking for competence and professionalism “
Do you have words like “resilience”, “empowerment” and “glass roof”?
I’ve never heard of the gender difference problem, nor has it ever occurred to me not to make it as a woman. I hope with the elections, however, that many young and smart people will arrive in Parliament. For the rest, if you need this terminology, let’s use it, I’m not against it.
Are there more men or women in your team?
I work with everyone. Obvious: I am looking for competence and professionalism, but with women I have always had a great time. With my new company I have selected a group of brilliant, talented and passionate young people. When I arrive at the office I am enthusiastic, I feed on their enthusiasm.
Who currently inspires you?
I liked the chancellor very much Angela Merkelwas a model to be inspired by: she came from East Germany, she managed to make a career and keep politicians at bay internationally, respected by all. Then I adore Elena Ferrante for the delicacy with which she was able to tell the pain of two women and their friendship. If I think about the past, it inevitably comes to mind Anna Magnani: she broke all the canons of being a woman in world cinema. She has never looked for roles with an impacting femininity, but always difficult parts, just think of when she worked in the United States with The tattooed rose (which earned her an Oscar for Best Actress in 1956, ed). For me she is still a model today.
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