pater numquam
Four virtual characters share the screen like a cramped digital stage. Desperate to express themselves, they interrupt and talk over each other, competing for the viewer’s attention. Glitches warp their bodies, suspended in liminal, fragmented spaces. What emerges is a cacophony of voices and styles that reveals the impossibility of genuine communication.
The main character speaks in a naïve, childlike tone inspired by Pinocchio. Two others, drawing from Commedia dell’Arte figures Pulcinella and Colombina, communicate in grammelot — a playful language of gestures and sounds. The final character mockingly imitates Pinocchio, closing the loop in a surreal and absurd cycle.
The film was produced as part of my bachelor’s thesis using emerging technologies, including AI-assisted tools, motion capture, and low-budget 3D animation. These choices underscore both the creative potential of new media and the social and ethical tensions embedded in algorithm-driven forms of communication.
Credits
Director / CGI & VFX / Editing – Emma Puglia
Screenplay – Gabriella Sacco
Sound Design – Tommaso Rabuffetti
Cast
Pinocchio – Sofia Zurlo
Pulcinella – Steven Zarco
Colombina – Camilla Nardelli
Personaggio 4 – Alessandro Soragna
From an original idea by
Benedetta Corsini
Zoe Manghi
Emma Puglia
Eleonora Ruggin
Gabriella Sacco
