97th academy awards shortlist | 2025
Marco Perego
director: dovecote
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT SHORTLIST
Writer: Alexander Dinelaris
Director/co-writer: Marco Perego
CAST
ZOE SALDANA
JAN, 3, 2025
Confined to a seaside prison in Venice, women's final moments before release are explored.
Hi Marco, thank you for talking to TNC. How does it feel to have Dovecote shortlisted for the 2025 Live Action Short Film?
It is very special to me; I still can't believe it.
Have you been able to enjoy this process, or have nerves started to take over?
I am really enjoying the process, also sharing it with my wife makes it even more special.
What do you think it is about Dovecote that has connected with your audiences so much?
I think it is about the possibility of looking inside yourself? What does freedom mean? Is freedom about where you can be seen and finally belong?
Did you know much about Guidecca Women’s Prison in Venice before you started shooting?
I wasn’t familiar with the women’s prison in Giudecca before I started filming. I was deeply struck by this discovery for me of the prison and the community of women in the house of detention.
What was it about these women’s lives, stories, and histories that connected with you so much?
Every evening, after finishing the day's filming, the women from the Giudecca would leave us their poems or stories. My wife and I would go back to the hotel and read them. Personally, I was deeply moved by their vulnerability.
Can you tell me how Dovecote came about?
We were invited by Chiara Parisi and Bruno Racine to take part in this year's Art Biennale, and we were very happy to be part of it.
How important was the creative collaboration between you and co-writer Alexander Dinelaris?
Alex is a mentor, a friend; our collaboration holds a very special place in my heart. Every time I am with him, I always learn something new. It's a constant growth for me as a writer and filmmaker. Alex has a sense of purity in the truth of the character we are writing, it is a gift for me to be able to learn from him.
Dovecote flows like a silent film; was it always your intention to have no dialogue in the film?
We discovered it when we placed a camera inside the cells. The women share a room among ten people. In the room different languages and dialects are spoken, like a Tower of Babel. Alex's choice was to use very few words, almost none. It was an important decision to give the film room to breathe.
Did you imagine that this choice would have such a powerful impact on the film?
Obviously, there was an idea at the beginning, but then a film is truly found in the edit room.
How much flexibility did you allow yourself and your actor with your screenplay once you started shooting?
We only had five days to shoot, so I gave the actors as much freedom as possible to express themselves.
Shooting in a real, working prison must have had its challenges. How did you and your team go about getting prisoners/guards to collaborate with you on this project?
It was a truly organic process, with the utmost cooperation from everyone involved in the prison. The guards in the film are all actual officers working in the penitentiary. It was definitely a unique and special experience.
Now you can be reflective. What would you say has been the most valuable lesson you’ve taken away from making Dovecote?
I was deeply moved by the women of Giudecca, by their vulnerability, and they taught me the value of community.
"Working with Zoe is truly a special gift. She is an extraordinary actress, one of the best of her generation."
What was the process like working with Zoe Saldana on this short, and will you both collaborate on future films?
Working with Zoe is truly a special gift. She is an extraordinary actress, one of the best of her generation. Collaborating with her and learning from her has been incredible. She possesses great sensitivity and the ability to be genuine, completely honest, and raw. I am looking toward to working with Her in the future
What was the most difficult scene for you to shoot?
Definitely the one-take shoot and the scene with all the girls in the corridor, where I had to ensure I could capture their vulnerability and the truth in their eyes.
Have you always had a passion for filmmaking?
Yes, I truly believe that films can change humanity and cultures.