Interview with Federico Zampaglione

Before the UK debut of the chilling and provocative supernatural horror flick "THE WELL" at FrightFest Glasgow 2024, director Federico Zampaglione delves into his journey back to hardcore horror, his collaboration with the legendary Giovanni Lombardo Radice, and stepping out from the shadows cast by the Italian maestros of the genre.

So, Federico, THE WELL has its UK premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival, as part of the popular FrightFest event. Excited, or what?

Frightfest it' s the place where everything has started in 2009 and it's one of the best festivals in the world. I can' t wait to show THE WELL to the UK fans.

What inspired you to make the movie?

Wanting to get back on the horror horse! I deeply love this genre, because it speaks to the human soul, investigates our unknown fears and gets lost in deep darkness whilst clinging to a blade of light. THE WELL pushes at the most extreme emotions, destroying the border between reality and fantasy, good and evil, life and death. You will discover that evil has new depths”. Hopefully, it brings new life into contemporary Italian horror.

Without giving too much away, how would you describe THE WELL?

The Well is a terror puncher. My regular screenwriting partner and I started throwing ideas around – from The Picture of Dorian Gray, Countess Dracula and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - and one concept I kept coming back to was the double level chiller, a sort of ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ type of story. Then I was discussing with my wife (actress Giglia Marra), what the scariest place in the world could be and she came up with a well. Trapped deep underground in a constricting space full of dank water, what could be worse?

The cast is stellar, blending emerging talents like Lauren LaVera and Taylor Zaudtke with icons such as Claudia Gerini and Giovanni Lombardo Radice. Additionally, one of your daughters plays a significant role. Could you walk us through the casting process?

I saw Terrifier 2 and liked it a lot, it was a full-on, no excuses gore-fest and Lauren LaVera was a fantastic anchor. So, I contacted her on social media and told her I was about to make this new horror movie and that she would be great as the main character. She was interested, I sent her the script, two days later she said she loved it. I couldn’t be happier with all the casting choices. It was a great experience. Every single actor was so talented and inspired and a real pleasure to work with.

Sadly, Radice passed away a few weeks after filming THE WELL. How would you describe his legacy?

He was an immense actor and a very unique guy. Despite him being just in a cameo role he gave an incredible strength to a very important moment of the film. When I knew he passed away I felt very sad. It was an honour to share the set with such a legend.

You’re on record as saying you were very determined not to compromise on the horror, suggesting that extreme gore is where the zeitgeist is. Can you explain in more detail?

Just look at Terrifier 2, Scream VI and Evil Dead Rise. No compromises. I wanted . The film is very graphic. Importantly both producers didn’t want me to lighten the horror. They insisted it be gory in the extreme, so it gets really nasty and brutal at times. The master of practical effects, Carlo Diamantini, did a very impressive job. You will feel on your own skin every single moment of pain because that’s where the zeitgeist is.

Are you worried that the film is too extreme for the mainstream genre audience?

It' s definitely extreme but you also have some touching dramatic moments and a little bit of black humour in a couple of scenes as well. Just to make you breathe in that bloodbath .


The Well is set to solidify your reputation as a stand-alone genre filmmaker. Has it been tough coming out from the shadow of other Italian genre filmmakers, such as Argento?

Yes, very tough. We all love and respect the great Masters of Italian horror, but they can easily overshadow you . I learned so much from them and I have a beautiful relationship with a lot of them; but at the same time I' m working on my style ...to get better and better and deliver my own vision of the darkness.

What is your opinion of the current horror trends? Do you have a favourite film of 2023?

This is a very good moment ! I loved " When evil lurks", " Talk to me" , "Speak no evil",

"Barbarians" and many others. It seems that this genre is getting to the next level.

Finally, what’s next?

Who knows ?...

THE WELL is showing at the Glasgow Film Theatre on Sat 9 March, 6.05pm, as part of FrightFest Glasgow 2024. Lauren LaVera and Federico Zampaglone will be attending.

First images from the set of Federico Zampaglione's new horror film - The Well

Federico Zampaglione is returning to the horror genre with dark supernatural thriller THE WELL, which is currently on a 4-week shoot in locations around Rome.

THE WELL stars Lauren LaVera, fresh from her lead role in the box-office smash Terrifier 2, as Lisa Gray, a budding art restorer, who travels to a small Italian village to bring a medieval painting back to its former glory. Little does she know she is placing her life in danger from an evil curse and a monster born of myth and brutal pain.

Written by Zampaglione and Stefano Masi, the film’s principal producer, this gripping journey into the depths of evil also stars Claudia Gerini, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Linda Zampaglione, Jonathan Dylan King, Lorenzo Renzi, Taylor Zaudtke, Gianluigi Calvani and Yassine Fadel.

THE WELL is an Iperuranio Film production, directed by Federico Zampaglione, written by Federico Zampaglione and Stefano Masi, and produced by Stefano Masi and Mario Pezzi. DoP: Andrea Arnone, SFX: Carlo Diamantini, Costume Design: Antonella Balsamo, Make up: Federica Puglielli, Set Designer: Blazej Wasiak.

Federico Zampaglione reveals second lockdown horror short BIANCA: PHASE 2.

Italian musician and film director Federico Zampaglione has followed up on his well-received short movie BIANCA, with an even more horrific study of Italy under lockdown - BIANCA: PHASE 2. Again shot on his iPad in three days and starring his ten year old daughter alongside his current partner, actress Giglia Marra, Zampagione, who created, edited and produced the film single-handedly, has cast his former wife, actress Claudia Gerini in a cameo role and, obeying lockdown rules, involved only family members in the location roles – Marco and Giula Chermaz, his cousin and nephew respectively

Synopsis:
Phase 2 of the Italian lockdown has begun and Bianca (Linda Zampagilone) and her mother (Giglia Marra) decide to go to the reopened local park to enjoy their new found freedom in the sun. But an evil presence is stalking them and when Bianca is kidnapped, her mother enters a nightmare world trying to find and save her daughter from a terrible danger.

Federico said today: 
“This is the second episode of a planned trilogy, and the action has become more horror-oriented. The biggest challenge was making a beautiful Roman park look like a disturbing and creepy place. I had to make it look completely empty and desolate, so it was all about waiting for silence and using all the camera angles to avoid including other people in the frames.

One of the most interesting aspects to me, being a musician, was not using music that much.  Instead I worked a lot on building up an increasingly unnerving atmosphere using mostly natural sounds, like birds, dog barking, weird animal noises) rather than the classic score”.

"Bianca" Short Thriller - Directed by Federico Zampaglione

Italian musician and film director Federico Zampaglione latest movie is BIANCA, a stylishly violent short horror thriller, shot in lockdown in Italy on his iPad in three days and starring his ten year old daughter Linda in the title role and his partner, actress Giglia Marra.

The story, which centres on the tense, unpredictable relationship between a girl and her mother at home, was co-written by Zampaglione and Gianluigi Perrone.

Federico said today: “My daughter was getting a little bored being at home for so long with nothing entertaining to do, so I suggested to her and my girlfriend Giglia, that we do a little film - have some fun together and stay in a better mood.  It’s very important right now to stay positive through the tough times we are going through. On top of this I had the occasion to get back to my old love...The Horror”.