The Knockturnal
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Music
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Videos
  • Covers
  • Merch
EntertainmentFilmThe Latest

Exclusive: Writer-Director Laura Luchetti Talks ‘Twin Flower’

by Paula Schwartz June 9, 2019
by Paula Schwartz June 9, 2019 0 comments
3.3K
In “Twin Flower,” writer-director Laura Luchetti has made a road movie about two teenagers on the run from dangerous forces in their pasts that threaten to rob them of their innocence.


Anastasiya Bogach (Anna) and Kallil Kone (Basim), non-professional actors, star as the adolescent runaways. Anna is fleeing from a sex trafficker, who has murdered her father, and Basim, a refuge from the Ivory Coast, is desperately searching for gainful employment. They meet when Basim rescues Anna from thugs who are harassing her, and they embark together across Sardinia where they forge a bound first out of expediency and then out of genuine affection.

The movie is set against the backdrop of a stunningly photographed Sardinia,  while never losing sight of the of the refuge crisis. Twin Flower screened Friday evening as part of Film at Lincoln Center’s “Open Roads: New Italian Cinema.” (The series kicked off Thursday evening with Claudio Giovannesi’s “Piranhas,” another innocence lost tale.)

Luchetti has directed short films, music videos, commercials, documentaries and animation. While on her flight from Italy to New York for the series, she received word her stop-motion animated short Sugarlove, received a Silver Ribbon award from the Italian Syndicate of Film Journalists.

I congratulated her on her win Friday morning at the Walter Reade Theater where she gave interviews to promote Twin Flower, which received accolades last year at the Toronto International Film Festival where it premiered.

Laura Luchetti

Following are highlights from the Knockturnal’s interview  with the Twin Flower writer-director:

The Knockturnal: Besides short films, you do music videos, commercials, documentaries and theater productions. Do you have a favorite medium?

Laura Luchetti: I like to tell stories, so… and I guess every story’s got a proper grammar, you know? So I try to find the right grammar and the right means to tell all the stories that are circulating in the spinning machine I have in my head.

The Knockturnal: But do you prefer making movies over animation? Or is that an unfair question?

Laura Luchetti: No, no, no, no. It’s a fair question. I love movies and I totally fell in love with animation. Animation is difficult. We do it in a very art house way. We are just three people. I have two people who do animation and they also do the character designs and I write and direct. So that’s really a cross and it takes forever. Obviously film is my first love. But I’m starting to fall in love with animation. We used to joke films were my husband and animation was my lover, so I had to skip out of a movie set to go and do my animation. Now I think they’re equal.

The Knockturnal: Back to Twin Flower, where you have two stories going on with nearly equal weight.You have the relationship between these two teenagers and then you have the narrative of Anna, being tracked by this sex trafficker. What is the most important theme here?

Laura Luchetti: I think the only important theme in this film is innocence and it’s the loss of innocence and the effort to regain innocence, which is what these two kids do. They both lost their innocence somehow for different reasons, but they’re struggling together to reconquer their innocence. They have the right to have a future like all adolescents should have. At the same time, there’s something that pushes the story, which is this horrible man chasing these kids, which I depicted as an ogre, you know? Yes, like some sort of monster. But at the same time it’s a metaphor and the ogre is us. It’s civilization and sometimes adults, which is kind of kicked towards a corner. And they push them. And also this ogre, I’m feeling, may represent abuse, racism, violence.

The Knockturnal: It’s interesting you’re talking about loss of innocence because the movie that opened the series, Piranhas, also deals with the same theme according to the director.

Laura Luchetti: I think his theme is also very close to mine, because he’s always worked with kids, and myself the same thing. The next movie I do is also going to be about adolescence, but it’s a costume drama. It’s set in the past. But still it’s a bunch of 16, 17-years-old kids. You get drawn to stuff and you don’t really think about it… Somebody said to me, “You know, have you realized you always deal with innocence?” And also, looking at the world with an adolescent’s eye, which is what I was trying to do with “Twin Flower.” Because I guess if we have a hope for the future, considering how things are going in the world right now, the hope is the seeds we have to plant in these kids.

The Knockturnal: This brings us to the stars, who are not professional actors. How did you find them and why did you decide to cast non-professionals?

Laura Luchetti: At that age, at least in Italy, it’s not really easy to find professional actors who are 16, 17, 18. Also, because a critic in Canada or in England described it as a dark tale. It’s not something I came up with, but somebody told me that. So you have the structure of a tale. There’s a princess in distress, there’s a hero, there’s the ogre. But then I wanted to tell that story with real elements, so they had to be real in order to write the script around them. The script was ready and it was the result of a research and result of a real story that I heard in the past. True story. But then it has its structure and I needed to find two actors who could play the role. But at the same time I knew that once I found the actors I would have had to adapt the script around them. I began looking in the schools, theater schools, swimming pools, gyms, bars, and for Basim in rescue centers for immigrants, for young immigrants, and I met 150 kids/

The Knockturnal: The actor who plays Basim was a young immigrant? Undocumented?

Laura Luchetti: Yeah, and he rode on a boat four months before we started shooting  from the Ivory Coast. The language he speaks, it’s a bit French, a bit Bambury, which is an African language, and a few Italian words are exactly what he was speaking at the moment. It would be silly for me to ask him to learn lines. He had to be what he was and I met people, children because they’re children; 12 years old, 13 years old, 15 years old. They walked from the south of Africa to Libya. They walked, literally. But when they get to Libya they get raped, mutilated, abused, you name it. Then they get put on a boat and they reach Italy. Most of the time you see what happens when they arrive and they get rescued. But most of the time you don’t know what happens after that. So they disappear in the country and we’re talking about thousands per month. We call them the ghosts who come to us. That was something I really wanted to talk about; what happens to these kids after we see them arriving. So all the kids I met, they were real illegal minors who reached our coast. And the stories I’ve heard, you don’t want to know.

The Knockturnal: How about the actress who plays Anna?

Laura Luchetti: Same process. She came in and she didn’t even want to be an actress. She came because a friend said to her, “Well, you know there’s a casting call. Why don’t you go also?” She wasn’t at all the girl I was looking for. I was looking for somebody really tall, really thin, and red hair, ginger hair, because I wanted her to be so much different from the rest of the Italians, you know? Then she walks in and I go to the casting agent, “Okay, she’s pretty, but she’s not what I’m looking for.” She starts talking and I stopped her. Then I said, “Okay, you have a page that you were supposed to learn. Go on.” As soon as she started, we knew she was the girl because she’s wild, she has a very sort of emotional intelligence. Then, after that I asked her questions about herself and I realized that she was an immigrant, too. She has this Sardinian accent. Like she considers herself Italian, but she arrived in Italy at the age of four on a train from Ukraine. So she had that journey within her… She had the same quality he has, which is a survival quality.

The Knockturnal: On anther tack, how has the #MeToo and #TimesUp moment affected women directors in Italy?

Laura Luchetti: It came from America, obviously, and there’s a lot going on at the moment. We need to awaken the awareness that there are women directors there. We don’t have to form new directors. They are there; they just need to be discovered and looked at. Also, I think men in the position of festival programmers or journalists or film critics, need to be educated to watch women’s films because there’s another way of telling the same story; it’s just a matter of getting used to the same story told by a woman. It may look slightly different, so people need to get used to that… I think that #MeToo had a strong impact, which is having its results now. We’re very happy about that.

The Knockturnal: Your English is terrific by the way.

Laura Luchetti: Better than England, I had an English husband…

Film at Lincoln CenterLaura LuchettiTwin Flower
0 comments 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Paula Schwartz

previous post
Steak ‘N Lobster Makes Luxe Food Affordable in Chelsea
next post
On The Scene:  ‘American Woman’ LA Premiere

Related Posts

2025 Teen Vogue Summit Recap: Full of Fun,...

September 30, 2025

“Jay Kelly” — It’s a Hell of a...

September 29, 2025

San Sebastián Film Festival: A Review

September 29, 2025

Brother Magazine’s Style Kings NYFW Party: Celebrating Black...

September 28, 2025

Daniel Day-Lewis Talks Pushing Aside His Pride to...

September 27, 2025

P1Harmony Breaks Down ‘EX,’ Spanish Version, Dream Night...

September 27, 2025

Julia Roberts Jokes That Andrew Garfield is Her...

September 27, 2025

Hot Ones Celebrates Ten Years of Star Studded...

September 26, 2025

4th Annual 1 World Festival Brings Community Together...

September 26, 2025

The Knockturnal at the “Nuremberg” TIFF Premiere Party...

September 25, 2025

Digital Cover No. 19

The Knockturnal Merch

Follow Us On The Gram

theknockturnal

Lifestyle. Music. Entertainment.
Info@theknockturnal.com
New Cover Out Now ⬇️

Visit the @Complex x @Aepsa_official Pop-Up for ‘Rich Man’ in LA with The Knockturnal! ✨

From exclusive merch and photo cards to signatures and more — ~ 100% worth the visit 

⏰ Sept 16–17 | 11 AM – 7 PM PT
📍 433 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles

#Aespa #Complex #RichMan #KPopMerch #AespaInLA #KPopFans #Kpop #Karina #Giselle #Winter #NingNing
NYFW magic ✨ @aliceandolivia by Stacey Bendet tr NYFW magic ✨ @aliceandolivia by Stacey Bendet transformed the runway into a dazzling celebration of bold prints, playful silhouettes, and timeless style. From Surrogate’s Court to the city streets, the collection truly captured the spirit of the modern woman. 💄

🔗: https://theknockturnal.com/stars-stripes-and-alice-olivia-by-stacey-bendet/

✍️: ElizaBeth Taylor

-
#NYFW #AliceAndOlivia #StaceyBendet #RunwayStyle #FashionWeek
Some things are just a perfect match—milk & cook Some things are just a perfect match—milk & cookies, Oreos & a cold glass of milk… and @nickbarrotta on the red carpet celebrating 30 years of the iconic milk mustache. 🥛🍪

🔗: https://theknockturnal.com/got-milk-celebrates-30-years-with-stars-and-everyday-californians/

✍️&🎤: Ashley Lopez

-
#GotMilk30 #GotMilk #NickBarrotta #TylerPerrysTheOval #MilkMustache
On the red carpet, Stranger Things star @priahferg On the red carpet, Stranger Things star @priahferguson spoke with us at the @gotmilk 30th Anniversary Milk Mustache Celebration, where the campaign unveiled its bold new focus on everyday Californians as the real icons. 🥛✨

🔗: https://theknockturnal.com/got-milk-celebrates-30-years-with-stars-and-everyday-californians/

✍️&🎤: Ashley Lopez

-
#GotMilk30 #PriahFerguson #StrangerThings #MilkMustache #RedCarpet #GotMilk
First-time nominees dominated the 77th Emmys, turn First-time nominees dominated the 77th Emmys, turning the spotlight on breakout stars and fresh wins. 🎬🥇✨

Read about the rising talent redefining televisions biggest night.

🔗: https://theknockturnal.com/emmy-awards/

✍️: Danielle Biondi

-
#Emmys #Emmy #EmmyAwards #Emmys2025 #EmmyWinner #Film #AwardWinning #AwardSeason
We had the honor of celebrating VMAs weekend with We had the honor of celebrating VMAs weekend with @bacardi and @mtv! 💫
History met history last night 🗽🎬✨ The Ha History met history last night 🗽🎬✨

The Hamilton movie premiere transformed the Delacorte Theater into a stage of its own, as the original cast and creative team reunited to celebrate a story that changed Broadway forever. From the first note to the final bow, the revolution continues. 🎭📜

🔗: https://theknockturnal.com/under-the-stars-at-the-delacorte-theater-hamilton-premiere-original-cast-in-attendance/

✍️: Lauren Wire

-
#Hamilton #Broadway #HamiltonMovie #DelacorteTheater #LinManuelMiranda #BroadwayLegends #StageToScreen #MusicalTheater
✨ Disney magic meets coffee culture ☕🐭 @dis ✨ Disney magic meets coffee culture ☕🐭 @disneyfamily x @lalalandkindcafe are serving up the sweetest collab of the season — from Mickey drink sleeves to Munchlings surprises 🎁 Don’t miss it before it’s gone Sept. 16!

🔗: https://theknockturnal.com/mickey-friends-bring-whimsy-to-la-la-land-kind-cafe/

✍️: Ashley Lopez 

-
#Disney #LaLaLandKindCafe #DisneyCollab #DisneyMagic #CoffeeLovers #MickeyAndFriends #DisneyFoodies
From @iamcardib undeniable reign to @wutangclan ev From @iamcardib undeniable reign to @wutangclan everlasting impact, the 2025 Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players Awards celebrated the artists and executives shaping the culture today. 🎤🎸💥

With honorees like @leonthomas and @gelo alongside hip-hop’s legends, the night was a reminder that the genre’s future is just as powerful as its past. 🤩

🔗: https://theknockturnal.com/cardi-b-leon-thomas-gelo-wu-tang-clan-more-honored-at-2025-billboard-rb-hip-hop-power-players-awards/

✍️: Nishat Baig

-
#Billboard #RnB #HipHop #PowerPlayers #CardiB #WuTangClan #LeonThomas #Gelo #RnBMusic #HipHopCulture #MusicAwards
PSA!!! We have another #knockgiveaway and this tim PSA!!! We have another #knockgiveaway and this time it’s for tickets to see LU KALA 💥

We’re giving away a pair of tickets to see her at Mercury Lounge in New York City on September 10th! Join us as we dance the night away to some of her top hits like Pretty Girl Era and Hotter Now 🎶

To enter hit the link 🔗 in our bio and fill out the form. Winners will be contacted through email! 

📍MUST BE IN NEW YORK CITY
🎶 From EXO standout to solo powerhouse, @zkdlin 🎶 From EXO standout to solo powerhouse, @zkdlin brought charisma, control, and creativity to every second of his Shrine set.

Kai On Tour gave fans in LA a front-row seat to his evolution as an artist, and it was nothing short of iconic. 👏

🔗: https://theknockturnal.com/kai-on/

✍️: Emma Salehi

-

#KaiOnTour #KAI #KAIatTheShrine #KpopInLA #EXO #KpopSoloist #KpopConcert #KAI2025 #ShrineLA
🗞️ Extra, extra! Go inside the newsroom with 🗞️ Extra, extra! Go inside the newsroom with “The Paper” — the sharp new workplace comedy making headlines. 🖋️ We sat down with the cast + creators in an exclusive video interview to talk inspiration, improv, and bringing chaos to the copy desk. 🎬✨

📺 Watch the full interview now 

🔗: https://theknockturnal.com/the-paper-puts-a-newsroom-spin-on-classic-workplace-comedy/

✍️: Alyssa Threadgill

-

#ThePaper #VideoInterview #WorkplaceComedy #BehindTheScenes #IndieTV #ComedySeries #CastInterview #OnSet #TVTalk #MakingTheShow #WritersRoom #BTS #NewSeries
🎥✨ Austin Butler and the cast of Caught Steal 🎥✨ Austin Butler and the cast of Caught Stealing open up about stepping into this gritty new story, the challenges on set, and why this film is unlike anything they’ve done before.

Catch our exclusive video interview now!

🔗: https://theknockturnal.com/austin-butler-cast-talk-new-movie-caught-stealing-video/

✍️: OJ Williams

-
#AustinButler #CaughtStealing #MovieInterview #ExclusiveInterview #FilmFeature #BehindTheScenes #Hollywood #OnSet #NewMovies #EditorialContent #CastInterview
Vegas was just crowned the No. 1 nightlife spot in Vegas was just crowned the No. 1 nightlife spot in the world. We put our detective skills to work at @resortsworldlv to see if it lives up to the hype 🎰 🪩🥂💃🕺

Read the full review on our website ✍️ 

#lasvegas #resortsworld #hilton #sliving #zoox #zouk #stubbornseed #alle #nightlife #vegas #elderbrook
When French comfort food, @marthastewart48 hospita When French comfort food, @marthastewart48 hospitality, and @parisvegas combine you get @thebedfordbymarthastewart 🇫🇷🤤 Our recent trip to the legendary homemaker’s restaurant in Las Vegas had us positively stuffed.

Read the full review on our website ✍️ 

#lasvegas #marthastewart #thebedfordbymarthastewart #parislasvegas #frenchfood
@zkdlin performs ‘Mhmm’ at his solo tour #KaiO @zkdlin performs ‘Mhmm’ at his solo tour #KaiOn in Los Angeles ✨

Full Concert Review Coming Soon… ✍️

#Kai #Kpop #KpopConcert #Exo
@zkdlin performs ‘Rover’ 🚗⚠️ at #KaiOn @zkdlin performs ‘Rover’ 🚗⚠️ at #KaiOn in Los Angeles ✨ 

Full Concert Review Coming Soon… ✍️

#Kai #Kpop #KpopConcert #Exo
A @weareone.exo throwback from @zkdlin at his firs A @weareone.exo throwback from @zkdlin at his first ever solo tour, #KaiOn 🐺✨ This is ‘Growl’ 

Full Concert Review Coming Soon… ✍️

#Kai #Kpop #KpopConcert #Exo
🎶 Meet @hitgs_offcl — the K-Pop girl group ma 🎶 Meet @hitgs_offcl — the K-Pop girl group making waves at KCON 2025. In our exclusive, they open up about growth, music, and their U.S. debut story.

🔗: https://theknockturnal.com/hitgs/

✍️: Emma Salehi

-
#HITGS #KCON2025 #KPopGroup #RisingStars #KPopOnStage #KPopInTheUS #GlobalStage #KPopExclusive #MusicAndCulture #NextGenKPop
📍 Culture has a new home. Complex x ESPN’s fl 📍 Culture has a new home. Complex x ESPN’s flagship opening blended sport, sound, and style into an experience that set the tone for what comes next.

🔗: https://theknockturnal.com/complex-x-espn-flagship-grand-opening-a-night-of-style-sports-and-sounds/

✍️: Winnie Ren

-
#ComplexxESPN #FlagshipOpening #Complex #ESPN
Follow on Instagram

About The Site

We are a collective of creative tastemakers made up of fashion, music and entertainment industry insiders. It’s all about access. You want it. We have it.

Terms Of Use

Privacy Policy

Meet The Team

CONTACT US

For general inquiries and more info on The Knockturnal, please contact our staff at:
info@theknockturnal.com
fashion@theknockturnal.com
advertising@theknockturnal.com
editorial@theknockturnal.com
beauty@theknockturnal.com

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube

© Copyright - The Knockturnal | Developed by CI Design + Media

The Knockturnal
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Music
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • Videos
  • Covers
  • Merch