L'Académie de la Folie

In the Italian city of Trieste there’s the Accademia della Follia, a world-famous troupe of actors with a mental condition.
They stage two shows a year in the city’s most prestigious theatre.

Ever since the mental hospital closed its doors in 1978, the mentally ill live no longer in an institution. 

As preparations are under way for the Accademia’s next play, the story of Claudio, Dario, Donatella, Charlie and Pino unfolds and we discover "a bunch of totally lovable characters" who try to make sense of this "frenetic" society we're living in.

L'Académie de la Folie - 52', 2015

Directed by Anush Hamzehian

Cinematography by Flavio Nani

Sound by Andrea Blasetig

Film Editing by Laurence Miller

Produced by Point du Jour / France Télévision

Awards

Etoile de la Scam on the occasion of Sunny Side of the Doc
Audience Award and Special Jury Prize at the 11th Sole Luna Doc Festival - Treviso
Audience Award at the Sole Luna Doc Festival - Palermo
Award Art, Patrimoine et Cultures de la Méditerranée at the PriMed - Prix International du Documentaire et du Reportage Méditerranéen
FIGRA, nominated in the Autrement Vu section

Official selection Festival Échos d’ici, échos d’ailleurs
Official selection in the Human Rights section of Festival dei Diritti Umani at the Triennale di Milano