Spanish Premiere
Italy, 1990, 58′
Recovering memory: Barcelona is preparing the Olympic Games of ’92. There are people who transform their lives and at the same time they show us another reality.
The documentary CHINATOWN is a witness of the pre-Olympic Barcelona transformation: as a cosmopolitan city and that of some citizens such as Carmen de Mairena, who lives in the red-light district and exhibits the human squalid conditions and wealth values. Together with Nino Spaghetti, both are the main characters of this city transformation and at the same time its personality.
The Italian brothers Morando and Gherardo Morandini have been able to elaborate a portrait with a neorealism style of the 90’s, by deepening into Nino’s humanity, who is performing into a transvestite at night. Prostitution is presented as a way of survival. With the money he earns, he helps to raise the son of a woman friend. Regarding Carmen de Mairena, the fact of practising prostitution is not a vital necessity for her, and she explains in front of the camera. Xavier-Daniel (Girona Film Festival, September 2017).
Dir.: Morando i Gherardo Morandini
Writer: Morando i Gherardo Morandini
Photography: Walter Balducci
Editor: Carlo Pulerà
Composer: Philip Glass, Martirio, Radio futura, Pedro Pubill Calaf.
Cast.: Carmen de Mairena, Nino “Spaghetti”, Gherardo Morandini, Carlo Gaglioli, Helena Clapés
Production: Morando, Gherardo Morandini, Etnea Film
