Scarlet Diva
Scarlet Diva | |
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Scarlet Diva film poster | |
Directed by | Asia Argento |
Produced by | Claudio Argento |
Written by | Asia Argento |
Starring |
Asia Argento Jean Shepard |
Music by | John Hughes |
Cinematography | Frederic Fasano |
Edited by | Anna Rosa Napoli |
Distributed by | Minerva |
Release dates | May 26, 2000 |
Running time | 91 minutes |
Country | Italy |
Language |
English Italian French |
Scarlet Diva is a 2000 Italian film by actress and first-time director and screenwriter Asia Argento.
Plot summary
Scarlet Diva is a semi-autobiographical film about the Italian actress and director Asia Argento's life as an actress. A self-destructive streak in Anna Batista (Argento) pulls her into drugs, sex and other excesses. To combat this descent, she attempts to fulfill her creative side by becoming a film director. Batista's attempts to realize her talent is thwarted however by her desires and the uncaring responses of those around her. As part of her plans to become a director and bring her story to the screen, Batista travels to Los Angeles but only meets a shady film producer (Joe Coleman). She falls in love with an uncaring Australian rock and roll star (Jean Shepard), then finds out she is pregnant by him. But her life is still in disarray as she uses drugs to help her feel better. Released in January 2000, Scarlet Diva was shot entirely on digital video, making it among the earliest feature films to be created with this technology.
Cast
- Asia Argento : Anna Battista
- Jean Shepard : Kirk Vaines
- Herbert Fritsch : Aaron Ulrich
- Francesca d'Aloja : Margherita
- Verra Gemma : Veronica Lanza
- Daria Nicolodi : Anna's Mother
- Selen : Quelou
- Leo Gullotta : Dr. Vessi
- Paolo Bonacelli : Swiss Journalist
Reception and legacy
The film tied with two other films to win the Williamsburg Brooklyn Film Festival Award for Best New Director.
A videocassette of the film can be seen on a shelf behind the counter in a video rental store in Dario Argento's film Do You Like Hitchcock?