"Sadourni’s Butterflies" 
("Las Mariposas de Sadourni", 2012) is the first feature film by Argentinian director Dario Nardi. The film made its international premier at the 10th Dubai Film Festival and its North American premier at the 24th Palm Springs International Film Festival in the 'New Voices/New Visions' section. It most recently screened at the EFM market during the 63rd Berlinale.

Nardi began work on the film fifteen years ago in 1998 until at last he met producer Donald Ranvaud who helped him turn his animated vision into a cinematic reality. "Sadourni’s Butterflies" is a surrealist mystery about a circus dwarf named ‘Sadourni’ (Christian Medrano) who is released from prison on parole, but only during daylight hours; once upon a time he had killed his adulterous wife after finding her in bed with another man. Upon his release, it is a new start for him and a new world, one where he seeks not only a new life but a new identity. He begins to work as a dubber at a fetish film production company where he meets Alexia (Antonella Costa) who becomes the object of his affection, inspiring him to undergo a stretching operation in hopes that he can no longer be a dwarf but a ‘normal’ man.

The film is a stunning black and white montage of surreal cinematography, which flutters across the screen almost as sensually and lyrically as a butterfly’s wings. It is unclear what exactly 'Sadourni’s butterflies' are, other than perhaps a symbol of metamorphosis from one existence to another, from larvae to beautiful creature. It is also unclear if Sadourni himself is indeed a real character, or if he is perhaps an altar-ego of one or multiple characters in the story. Almost Lynchian in style, the film captures the essence of life’s paradox and carves a place between dream and reality, art and real life, offering a cryptic enigma that excites and intrigues with just enough narrative and sense for story and just enough conundrum to delight in its smoky mystery; in any case, Nardi leaves us starving for more genius from this eccentric and uber talented director.

Written by Vanessa McMahon

DIRECTOR: Dario Nardi 
Producer: Donald K. Ranvaud, Enrica de Biasi, Pierluigi Navoni
Editor: Alberto Ponce
Screenwriter: Dario Nardi
Cinematographer: Mariano Cuneo
Music: Pablo Crespo
Principal Cast: Christian Medrano, Antonella Costa, Nicola Costantino, Ale Sergi 
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