The director tells Fanpage.it about “The secret of Liberato”, the new project that mixes documentary and animation, in all Italian cinemas from May 9th: “Liberato’s ability is to continually reinvent himself. He has a thousand faces despite not having one.”
Liberato’s secret it will make its debut with a big preview event in Naples, on May 8th, at The Space with a dedicated setup and with all the theaters that will broadcast the film, then from May 9th it will be in all Italian theaters. A film that mixes documentary and animation and tells the story of the great rise of the phenomenon which appeared for the first time on YouTube on 14 February 2017 with the song Nove Maggio, which has become an icon of Naples in Italy and Europe. Francesco Lettieri, historical director of the artist’s video clips as well as of the film together with Giorgio Testi and, for animation, Giuseppe Squillaci and LRNZ, did not reveal ‘Liberato’s secret’ to Fanpage.it but rather his vision: “Like all things by Liberato, this too is not a point of arrival but an open and constantly moving world”.
Francesco Lettieri and Giorgio Testi
Francesco, Liberato’s secret will remain a secret even after this film. I ask you, however, if this was a way to give you, who worked alongside him, a time to recognize yourselves, look each other in the eyes and say: We too are liberated.
The first fundamental point was to try not to make a simple docu, but to create something different in line with Liberato’s thoughts and style. Thought and style that has also become ours, since we work with and for him. We wanted to do something transversal, between pop and the authorial dimension, and this is why there is also the animation part which has the greatest task: to inspire beyond Liberato’s story. It was certainly a moment to reflect on what was not only Liberato, but all the interest in Naples and how it has changed in recent years. It is certainly not a point of arrival, because this, like all things by Liberato, represents an open world, in constant movement.
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In the film there are images from concerts, backstage, in Naples but above all abroad. I don’t remember a Neapolitan artist capable of being so immediate and representative. Seeing the scenes of Berlin, Paris, Brixton in London, the full stadiums, was impressive.
It was an experience, it’s true. Freed, for Neapolitans living abroad, he was a standard-bearer of Neapolitanism. The phenomenon is so great that I didn’t think I would experience a series of testimonies.
For example?
A Danish couple in their fifties stopped me to show me their rose tattoo.
Does it happen in Naples?
In Naples it happens even more often. Filling Piazza del Plebiscito for three days in a row was equally impressive. If you don’t see it with your own eyes, you don’t believe it. Today Spotify metrics are not always identifying, some numbers are pumped up. Physically filling a place, however, really makes you understand how important Liberato is for Naples and for those who love Liberato. Today, then, a project that lasts 6-7 years is not at all a given.
Released backstage before starting a show.
When Liberato was born, a Neapolitan scene that is consolidated today did not yet exist. I think of Geolier and all the side projects that gravitate around his universe. Can we say that the rapper from Secondigliano represents, not just a clear derivation, but rather a side effect of that space that Liberato managed to create?
When I was a kid I often thought about the fact that the Americans had managed to build enormous success on gangster films and I often wondered how it was possible that in Naples no one was able to exploit the enormous heritage that we also had. I felt there was untapped potential. Then came the Gomorrah universe, from the book to the film to the series. Those stories existed in Naples, no one had used them yet, but it was clear that they had this potential. Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend also exploits this potential. I think that Geolier comes from this imagination. I also think that Naples had disappeared from the radar for many years and then at a certain point there was this explosion that brought out many stories that had remained there to settle, a volcanic eruption that brought everything out at once.
In the movie you joke a lot about the buzz that was created in the first season of Liberato. The frantic search for his identity. There is also a video of us in which we have an expert analyze the voice spectrum.
There were so many absurd theories, so many names. There were even those who said that Liberato was all an invention of multinationals, a marketing product.
Also tell us about when you invented the Facebook account of a fake manager of the artist, called Lungomare Liberato, who replied to everyone that he couldn’t use the letter “L” because his keyboard was broken. I also ended up talking to him and I confirm: he didn’t use the letter “L”.
It was me and Daniele Del Plavignano (laughs, ed.). Think how much fun we had.
A sequence from the animated film of “The Secret of Liberato”
In the animated film, however, continue playing a bit. There are new clues that could reopen the hunt for Liberato.
There are many clues and true things, even very intimate ones, that are part of Liberato’s biography. Of course, there is also fiction as the cinematic story requires. We cared about the real heart of the matter. Someone will probably understand, maybe Liberato’s friends will recognize each other. I don’t know how long people are still trying to understand Liberato’s identity, what his name is, what school he attended. These are things that, it seems to me, are diminishing especially compared to the beginning.
What happened in that first phase?
They called me with anonymous numbers, followed me to the bottom of the building to see who I was hanging out with.
Really?
Everything happened. I found anonymous letters under the door of the house. I had to be careful who I walked with because people looked at me and thought that whoever was close to me could be Liberated. This thing, fortunately, has calmed down and I hope it doesn’t flare up again with the film.
In the film we see Adam Jendoubi again and it is the first time after his accident.
I didn’t expect that interview to be the last time we would see him. We filmed it in September and then I didn’t see him again until the accident happened. Reviewing all the material, in light of what happened, was terrible. Adam represents everything that was Freed in the beginning. He was a boy we met on the street, who became the face of Liberato, a well-known character in the center of Naples, we wanted to tell this thing. I’m happy that in this film there is this interview, his words and there is a trace of Adam.
Adam Jendoubi, protagonist of the video TU T’E SCURDAT’ ‘E ME, died at just 23 years old following a car accident on 1 January 2024.
Are there any new songs by Liberato?
The entire film contains Liberato’s entire production. Then there are new things, especially in the animated film and there is something new between the credits.
Do Liberato and cinema stop here or are there other story possibilities?
They proposed a biographical film to us, dealing with the moments of Liberato’s life with filmed reconstructions and we didn’t like this. Maybe in twenty years they will make a series about Liberato with an actor, who knows, we’re not closing any hypotheses because Liberato’s ability is precisely to continually reinvent himself. He has a thousand faces despite not having one.
