52 minutes, 2014
Director: Anush HAMZEHIAN (Italy)
Production Company: Point du Jour, France Télévisions (France)

How is life for the mentally ill when they are not locked up?
To answer this question Anush Hamzehian made this film in Trieste, where mad people have lived in the community since the psychiatric hospital closed in 1978. Trieste has been called the “Hollywood of the Mad” because there is a group of world-famous actors, the Academy of Madness, which puts on two shows a year in the city’s most prestigious theatre. The actors of this unique company – Claudio Dario, Donatella, Charlie, Pino – are the unforgettable characters in this film.

Anush HAMZEHIAN was born in Padua, Italy, in 1980.
Having studied communication, he began his career as a video editor and director. He made: “Le città continue” (26 minutes 2004), “La dolce tragedia di Martone” (26 minutes 2008), “Appunti su Sorrentino” (26 minutes 2009), “La mano e la voce” (52 minutes, 2009), Mediterranean Art, Heritage and Cultures Award at the 2010 PriMed, “Le jardin des merveilles” (52 minutes 2011), “Les Enfants de l’Odyssée” (52 minutes 2012), “L’Accademia della Follia” (52 minutes 2014) and “Je préfère aller en enfer” (40 minutes 2014).