Agata De Santis is an award-winning, passionate filmmaker, producer, and writer. She is the founding president of Redhead Productions, which makes thought-provoking documentaries, and the founding Editor-in-Chief of italocanadese. Her films, documentaries, and now books, all have a fresh and familiar energy that demands our attention.
You made an incredible documentary about Mal’occhio. Why write a book?
My documentary film on mal’occhio has had a wonderful screening life. Over the years, audience members have asked me about a sequel to the film. I never felt I had one in me. As the film’s 10th anniversary was nearing, I wanted to do something to commemorate it. It dawned on me that there was a sequel to be made. But not a film, a book. I decided to put to paper all the research and anecdotes that didn’t make it into the final edit of the film. The book was published exactly ten years after the release of the film.
Was it difficult to translate the feeling of the film into book form?
I see the film and the book as two very different takes on the telling of the story of mal’occhio. With the film I had to create a linear storyline that has a beginning, a middle and an end. The book I decided to write is not a narrative, but rather a collection of chapters, or even short stories, if you will. Alongside the many photos and illustrations, the book does not need to be read from cover to cover. This gave me the flexibility to include any and all the content I wished to include.
The book looks so beautiful. What was the design process like for you?
I absolutely adore illustrated coffee table books. I consider them works of art. I wanted to create something similar with Mal’occhio. It also helps that evil eye amulets are themselves colourful and beautiful. I wrote, photographed, and designed the layout simultaneously. Each element affected and inspired the other. It was a fun and challenging process. I am delighted with the end result.
The book goes through the history of the mal’occhio but is also so personal. Was it difficult to let the world into your personal life?
Not at all! But I made sure that my mom and siblings were okay with the content and the photos. I felt the personal stories were an essential element of the book, as mal’occhio is both a universal topic and a very personal one. Everyone who believes in mal’occhio has a similar story to tell. I felt it was necessary to tell my story.
What is the strangest thing that has happened to you since the release of this book?
Well, luckily I have not experienced mal’occhio since the book was launched! Thus far, I’ve been invited as a guest on numerous American podcasts. I’ve always been a fan of podcasts. It’s a new experience to be interviewed for them. Also, releasing a book during the COVID pandemic meant that we could not organize or participate in any in-person events. So far, everything has happened on the World Wide Web. We’ll see what happens when I can finally meet people in person to promote the book.
You reveal so many secrets about how to get rid of mal’occhio in the end of the book. Did you hesitate at all to include them?
Actually, I’m delighted that I was able to find so many mal’occhio cures to include in the book. I knew I could share my mom’s curing ritual. So at a minimum I would have one ritual. But as I explain in the book, as many towns as there are in Italy, that is probably how many variations there are of the cure. I wanted to showcase the variety. And, I wanted to give readers options, from simple prayers to complex rituals.
Your amazing website, italocanadese, has just turned ten. How does that feel?
Ten years. Time flies when you’re having fun! Italocanadese remains my pet project to this day. I’m delighted with the content we’ve been able to assemble, considering our small team and even smaller budget. Our readers and our social media followers are happy with what we are publishing. And that makes me happy.
How does your Italian heritage influence your work as a filmmaker, author, and website editor?
My Italian heritage definitely influences a lot of my creative work. Not all of it, but definitely a majority of it. I don’t set out to make films and write about the Italian Diaspora, but somehow that is what ends up happening. I write what I know and what interests me. Same is true for the documentary films I direct and produce. I also feel a responsibility to leave a record, even a legacy, of our community, more specifically, of our Italian-Canadian community. The community as a whole should bear that responsibility. I’m not particularly impressed with how our current community leaders are tackling that responsibility. We the artists are stepping up.
What advice do you have for filmmakers and authors about telling their personal stories?
If you want to write a personal story, you must be ready to be open, and honest (with some creative liberties) and vulnerable. It is both a satisfying experience and a frightening one.
What are you working on now?
I’m already thinking about my next book project. I’m producing a documentary film on singer/songwriter Marco Calliari. It’s directed by Anita Aloisio and will be out this summer. And I’ve got a couple of documentary films in development.
To learn more about Agata De Santis’ projects, please visit www.redheadproductions.com.
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