On the occasion of World Art Day (April 15), the animated short film David and I, the debut work of director Marilù Rainò, was presented at Palazzo Montecitorio in Rome, in the press room of the Chamber of Deputies. The project, produced by Good Karma in collaboration with Rai Kids, was made in traditional 2D animation with the support of Selective Grants and Tax Credit. The short film was broadcast on Rai Gulp and is currently available on demand on the RaiPlay platform.
Designed for a young audience, the short film adopts accessible language and an evocative visual layout to bring children and young people closer to one of the most well-known events in Italian art history. At the center of the story is the figure of Michelangelo Buonarroti and the creative process that led to the creation of David, presented as a moment of reflection on the value of cultural heritage and its role in society.
The narrative takes the viewer to the Florence of 1501, in a historical phase marked by the expulsion of the Medici and the Republic’s need to redefine its symbolic identity. In this context, the Opera del Duomo entrusts Michelangelo with the task of working on a block of marble that has remained unfinished for decades, destined to be transformed into the David. The narrative also focuses on the debate regarding its placement, a central element in the historical story.
Indeed, the short film reconstructs the discussion that involved a commission composed of distinguished artists and citizens, including Leonardo da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli. The confrontation opposes two visions: on the one hand, those who propose a protected and power-bound placement, and on the other those who support the idea of a work displayed in public space, accessible to the community. Into this tension comes Michelangelo’s choice, represented as a moment of inner conflict between the bond with the Medici family and a growing civic consciousness.
The final decision, which sees the David destined for an open and shared space, becomes the symbolic focus of the narrative. The work thus takes on a meaning that goes beyond the artistic dimension, configuring itself as a civic and political emblem, in analogy with the biblical figure of David pitted against Goliath. Through this narrative key, the short film offers young people a reflection on the value of art as a common good and its ability to represent collective identities and ideals.
David and I is part of a context of initiatives aimed at cultural dissemination aimed at new generations, with the goal of making complex themes accessible through appropriate narrative and visual tools. The choice of the presentation date, coinciding with World Art Day, also recalls the anniversary of April 15, the day of the birth of Leonardo da Vinci, a symbolic figure of Western artistic culture.
“We took the David out of its pop frame. In an age of unlimited reproducibility, we want to enhance its uniqueness by returning to its origin,” explains director Marilù Rainò. "Its primary meaning makes us recognize in the David an immovable pillar of our identity as Italian citizens. This concept is enhanced by the work of artists and female artists who have drawn, frame by frame, this story, happy at last to tell about us."
“We wanted to tell Michelangelo to the children not as a monument, but as a man grappling with his own choices,” says Caterina Vacchi, producer of Good Karma. “An Italian story, told with Italian tools: 2D animation, a young director, an independent production. Being guests of the House Culture Committee is an important recognition for us and we are proud of it.”
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| On RaiPlay the short film "David and I" about the birth of Michelangelo's David |
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