Enea Colombi

When did you realise that creating videos was your true calling?

Throughout my life, I've had many passions, falling in love with numerous things, but after a few months, my interest would wane. I realised that the world of moving images was not just a summer fling but was likely to stay with me and become an integral part of my life. There wasn’t a specific moment when I realised this; rather, it was a gradual realisation. The more I grew, the more the idea matured in me that everything I was doing was right. I grew in symbiosis, both as a human being and as a professional, along with my work, which has been and still is a life partner.

Reflecting on your earliest video projects, how do you perceive them now?

I see them as genuinely flawed, with a hint of melancholy towards a naivety that led me to make mistakes but at the same time improved me. I was much less afraid of making mistakes than I am now, but I have deep respect for most of the work I did in the past.

If you were to describe a moment of rebirth in your career, what comes to mind?

I believe a turning point occurred during COVID-19. This event brought me back to the places of my childhood, in the lowlands of the Po Valley, where I rediscovered places, people and moments I had forgotten and abandoned. I began to re-evaluate all my personal past, a past from which I had fled but which today is my greatest source of inspiration. At the centre of this process is a strong bond that keeps me connected to nature. I changed the way I see things and especially how I tell stories, I cleared my vision.

Architecture plays a significant role in your work. How do you research and integrate it with the artist's vision?

I have always had a strong passion for architecture, born from an extreme curiosity about everything around me. One method is direct experience; I let myself be drawn in, I love to travel and explore new places and as soon as I encounter buildings or places with a certain architectural flavour I try to learn about their history, I try to sneak in to discover interiors and find new perspectives. Another method is thorough archival research through books and online articles; over the years, I have created my own private archive complete with an interactive map where I insert coordinates and photos of places of interest.

Do you consider yourself part of a particular Italian video scene or artistic movement?

I think it is difficult to define a contemporary Italian artistic movement; there is a lot of enthusiasm and dynamism among young directors and filmmakers. I believe that at the heart of this movement, there is a common desire to experiment with new methods but at the same time, to tell personal stories and viewpoints, which I believe will be the only ones to hold significant value in a future where part of creativity will be managed by algorithms and AI. A strong and personal perspective, whether on a narrative or a current theme, is all that cannot be emulated and is destined to have value.

Among all your projects, which one holds a special place in your heart?

My first short film, ‘Il Giorno Dopo’ (‘The Day After’), a dark fairy tale set on the banks of the Po, in the places of my childhood, will be distributed soon.