One year ago, the “Book of Life,” debuted at the US LDS Film Festival to high praise and warm reviews. The movie is the child and life’s work of Italian filmmaker, Marco Lui, who wrote, directed, acted, mimed, and even magicked’ in the film.
This Italian language film (with English subtitles) is now available to audiences for download at www.audience-alliance.com.
Marco’s Life Becomes the Book of Life
Marco Lui is a returned missionary, husband, and filmmaker in Verona, Italy, with a story to tell.
From his small village in Italy, he had great ambitions to break into show business. From his childhood until now, he has worked in Italian television as a comedian, director and author. He created a fictional character known as “Mr. Him,” a punny word play on his surname (Lui is Italian for him.’)
Mr. Him didn’t want to settle for playing other people’s characters in other people’s stories. His real desire was to one day make a movie of his own. After having knocked on every door, and following every lead, he soon realized that no one was easily going to support him.
But for every door that closes, another opens.
Enter the “Book of Life.”
In the summer of 2009, Lui prepared to make his own movie, “The Book of Life.” He found a location, obtained the permits, figured out logistics, rented equipment and put together a cast. He was supported by great friends who stepped forward to help him during this challenging time.
Lui described his experience creating the film, “Our wonderful plan of salvation gave me a wonderful opportunity to create a wonderful drama, with a first part in which to sow and to harvest in the second part. I have made a movie as many comedians have made, connecting a smile with a tear. Funny with tears. People looking at the movie in Italy smiled as they were moved to tears.”
“Every morning automatically at 5 a.m. my heart began to beat,” said Lui, who speaks English as a second language. “I woke up and was not able to sleep until midnight, and so on for three months. I was alone. Every day brought a new budget more expensive than I supposed, and I repeat, the money was my savings from the time I started to work after my mission.”
“Every day of shooting there was an unforeseen event. You cannot really believe. The people working (on the movie) could not believe. Every day. Some examples: five trucks broke, the electric generator stopped. Two kids got sick, and I had to finish in one week the shooting in the school because after that my permit ended. But before I started shooting, I received a clear and sure impression of what I was to do and how to make it. So every night I finished in some way my work.”
“Life is a natural comedy, with three acts: a beginning, a development and a conclusion,” he added. “Also in every work I do, I always like to speak about allegory, to make light some arguments generally people don’t want to hear.”
He wanted to tell people that life is fantastic, funny, wonderful, and “exquisite when hard.”
What is the “Book of Life” all about?
“The Book of Life” is about a teacher searching for the love he found before he was born.
Marco is a spirit who receives training in the pre-existance about how to use comedy and jokes as tools, in order to be an effective teacher on Earth. He meets a lovely female spirit, and every day he brings her a flower. This little act from the boy that was never sad, becomes precious to the girl that never smiled.
But when it is his turn to go to Earth and fulfill his mortal life, his memories of his love are veiled, and he must start all over again to find her.
Marco, a teacher now, makes the children in his schoolroom laugh as he helps them learn lessons about the eternal destiny of life, the value of a physical body, and why Earth life matters.
The relationships are real and Marco’s comedy keeps the movie entertaining.
But because Marco loves to be funny, no matter what he is doing, he drives his girlfriend away with his constant need to be goofy.
And then . . . something special happens.
“Audiences and Critics Agree”
The film was received by critics at the LDS Film Festival with very high reviews.
The audience rated the film as “excellent” and written comments were also very positive. One film-goer said, “It was a life-changing experience.” Another wrote, “Refreshing, not like anything I’ve seen before.” (KSL.com)
The Book of Life is one of the most overtly LDS films in recent memory – a surprise anywhere…is as pure a family film as you can get, with spiritual content and entertainment for both children and adults …(LDS FF 2011, Report)
The Italian children in the film are cute and allowed to radiate a warmth and charm. The effective narration feels like an homage to the “Princess Bride,” and the music permeates without distracting. The scenery is gorgeous.
(Sharon Haddock, Deseret News)
