My Name Is Maya
Description
In this emotional coming-of-age story, Niki and her sister Alice lose their mother in a car accident. Faced with separate foster care situations that will put them in different countries, the girls run away, pursued by a caring social worker named Cecilia. So as not to be found, Niki adopts the name Maya as the two siblings encounter a colorful cross-section of Roman citizens, including a handsome fire-eater named Marc and a dissolute tattoo artist who gives “Maya” a Mohawk. Through this name change, Niki/Maya is hoping to shed her skin and circumstances, but the film delicately presents how this young woman can bring her two distinct identities into a harmonious whole. Director Tommaso Agnese, who has made several documentaries, draws a vibrant portrait of urban street life and adolescent angst, brought to life with memorable performances and characters. Matilda Lutz brings a memorable volatility to the lead role while Valeria Solarino (so memorable in Sea Purple, NIC 2009) gives Cecilia an anxious solicitude that conveys her feelings over the two girls’ situation.
Tommaso Agnese has made several shorts, commercials and films for television. He co-wrote the 2014 thriller 2047: Sights of Death, starring Danny Glover and Daryl Hannah. Speaking about My Name Is Maya, he says, “The film is simply the culmination of my research on adolescence that I began several years ago in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture…Although the film is a fictional story, it is based on real people that I met during this journey.”
Trailer
//www.youtube.com/embed/pUkm8zGfGrsFilm Details
Language Italian
Original Language Title Mi chiamo Maya
Year 2015
Runtime 95
Country Italy
Director Tommaso Agnese
Producer Silvia Innocenzi, Giovanni Saulini
Writer Tommaso Agnese, Massimo Bavastro
Editor Marco Careri
Cinematographer Davide Manca
Music Giorgio Giampà
Cast Matilda Lutz, Valeria Solarino, Carlotta Natoli
Print Source Intramovies