Hello folks! Unfortunately I wasn’t in Melpignano last Friday for Everyone Stares' second screening in Italy, but Marco, my closest friend, was there, so a piece of me was there too… You should remember that Melpignano is a small town in the Salento region and it is the home of pizzica music. Stewart is its honorary citizen, so you can imagine how welcome he was! He arrived from the back of the square with the mayor of the town and three members of La Notte della Taranta Ensemble dedicated him a popular song named “Quantu ha cha nu’ passi te ‘sta via”, which in English sounds something like “How long haven’t you passed this street?”. After the screening there was an intense questions & answers. Somebody asked Stewart about the present situation in Lebanon, the place where Stewart has grown up (what a coincidence… one of the most passionate moment in his movie regards Beirut bombing in the 80s) and he answered that Lebanon has always been a country dominated as well as menaced by somebody but the people are strong and lively. Another man asked him what in the Salento region attracted him so much and Stewart answered “You, and also the pizzica!”. Then the usual question: “Why did the Police split?” and Stewart’s answer: “If you love somebody set them free!”
Thank you Marco for your detailed report!