“BUTTERFLIES IN BERLIN- DIARY of a SOUL SPLIT IN TWO”, written, directed and designed by Monica Manganelli.

Genre: historical dramatic docu-animated film (30′ minutes). 1

Status: completed (2019). Italy-Germany coproduction: A LATTEPLUS BERLIN FILM PRODUCTION + ALEXANDRA CINEMATOGRAFICA SRL, in collaboration with RAI CINEMA,  with the support of BKM/German Federal Ministry of Culture and Media, EMILIA ROMAGNA Film Commission and MIBACT-Italian Ministry of Culture and Cinema. Now available in distribution on AmazonPrimeVideo&HereTV for North America. Film received in 2021 the Recognition of “Italian Original Expression” by the Ministry of Culture-General Directorate for Cinema and Audiovisuals (Italy).

Techniques: mix of 2D animation, motion graphics 3D, cut out computer animation, old photos, collage/pastiche, mattepaint-concept art. Each shot is conceived as a painting, as an hommage and citation of some artists/painters.

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Synopsis: For the first time in cinema a story about Holocaust and gender identity together. Alex moves to Berlin in 1933, during the Weimar Republic period. Looking for his place in the world and his sexual identity, Alex/Alexandra  becomes the first woman out-of-surgery transsexual in History. That happens unfortunately during the National-Socialism rise, a social disruption that turned the capital of sexual freedom in the most repressed country of all times.

“Breathtaking art deco-style animation and a stunning musical score, make this evocative film unforgettable.”  MJFF

“Loosely based on true events, Monica Manganelli weaves a tale of transformation through illustrative and engaging animation. Alex’s transformation is carefully juxtaposed with the transformations affecting Germany at this time, a butterfly waking up in the middle of a forest fire. ★★★★★” GAY-ESSENTIAL

“Butterflies in Berlin , un’Anima divisa in due , applauso lunghissimo in sala e in giro per il mondo. Coltissima e sensibile partitura visivo-musicale che scava nel buio rimosso dell’Omocausto e del paragrafo 175…”– IL MANIFESTO

“Un lavoro tanto bello esteticamente, quanto necessario per il suo approccio schietto, veritiero ed empatico ai tragici fatti accennati poc’anzi. Il pubblico del Nuovo Cinema Aquila è rimasto rapito dallo struggente lirismo di Butterflies in Berlin…” TAXIDRIVERS

“Studio, ricerca e una grande sensibilità: il successo – di critica e di pubblico, testimoniato dai sempre più numerosi premi vinti a livello internazionale – di Butterflies in Berlin,  ha la cifra dei piccoli gioielli, di quelle felici intuizioni destinate a segnare chi li guarda. … 30 minuti di pura poesia dove le immagini, nessuna lasciata al caso, trovano nella MUSICA il perfetto contrappunto.” PRODUCTION&COSTUME DESIGN MAGAZINE

“Si solo se pudiera usar una palabra para describir este audiovisual, serìa: BELLO. El  dise𝐧̃o de los personajes y fondos, trasportan al espectator directamente a principios del siglo XX. Sumado a eso, las diferentes técnicas de animaciòn, se fusionan de manera exceptional. Consiguiendo de esta manera, contar una historia agrifulce de manera MEMORABLE. …BUTTERFLIES IN BERLIN, Diary of a Soul split in two, de Monica Manganelli es una de las joyitas dentro la programacion del 13° Cineversatil: Trìangulo Rosa 2023…”  ★★★★★- CINE ARGENTINO HOY-CRITICA

Film Festivals-Official Selections-Screenings and Awards:
-CENTER for ‘900 -Turin/Italy, Holocaust Memorial Day, 2023
-ROSTOCK University, Germany, 2023,
-QUEER FILM FEST, Wien, 2023,
-BRADFORD QUEER FILM FESTIVAL, Bradford/UK, 2023,
-ATHENS PRIDE QUEER PARADE, Athens-Greece, 2023,
-CINEVERSATIL, Festival Internacional sobre DIVERSIDAD, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2023
-TAMPA BAY Jewish Film Festival Jewish Film Festival, 2022
-GREATER PHOENIX Jewish Film Festival, 2022
-OUT FILM/35Th CONNECTICUT LGBT Film Festival, 2022
-ANIMASYROS Film Festival, Best Animapride Section, Greece, 202
-SPAZIO MARTE, Space of Contemporary ARTS, Cesena/Italy, 2022
-IMAGE+NATION, 34th International Film Festival de Montréal, 2021
–REELING: The 39th Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, 2021
-LAMEKO-LANDAU Film Festival, Germany, 2021
-ELLES TOURNENT Festival de Films de Femmes, Bruxelles, 2021
-FEMINIST FESTIVAL, Parma-Italy, 2021
-MUSEUM of TOLERANCE/Simon Wiesenthal Center, Los Angeles, 2021
–NEW YORK Jewish Film Festival / Film Society-Lincoln Center, 2020
–DENVER Jewish Film Festival, 2020
-ATLANTA Jewish Film Festival, 2020
-KONTRAST Film Fest, Bayreuther Film Festival, 2020
-HILLTOP Film Festival of Diversity and Inclusion, 2020, Alabama, WINNER: BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM
-WARSAW Animation Film Festival, 2020
-SIDE by SIDE LGBT Int. Film Festival, S.Petersburg, 2020 WINNER: BEST ANIMATED FILM
-MAWJOUDIN Queer Film Festival, Tunis, 2020
-TORONTO Jewish Film Festival, 2020
-SAN DIEGO FILM WEEK, 2020
–HIROSHIMA International Animation Festival, “Animation for Peace PROGRAM,” 2020
–DC SHORTS Film Festival Washington, 2020
–WEST SIDE MOUNTAINS DOC FEST Epirus/Greece, 2020,WINNER: GRAN PRIX for BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM, BEST DIRECTOR (Monica Manganelli),  BEST MUSIC (Massimo Moretti)
–FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL de Cine LESBIGAITRANS, Paraguay, 2020
–LESGAICINEMAD, Festival Internacional de Cine LGBTIQ de Madrid, 2020
–BELLARIA Film Festival, Italy, 2020, WINNER: Special Mention-Jury Prize-Equal Opportunity Award
-UK JEWISH Film Festival, London 2020
-RISING OF LUSITANIA-ANIMADOC Film Festival, Hungary, 2020
-VALDARNO CINEMA Film Festival, Italy, 2020
–GRAND OFF Independents Short Film Awards-Warsaw, 2020, WINNER: BEST ANIMATED FILM
–OUTSOUTH QUEER FILM FESTIVAL, North Carolina, 2020
-HONG KONG Jewish Film Festival, 2020, WINNER: BEST SHORT FILM
-ALEXANDRE TRAUNER Art Film Festival, Gdansk, Poland, 2020
-QUEER Film Fest Rostock, Germany, 2020
-QUEERZ Get Loud Film Festival, Lublin-Poland 2020
-BRUXELLES Jewish Film Festival, 2020
-LIBERATION DOC FEST, Bangladesh 2020, WINNER: Youth Jury Award
-ISCHIA FILM FESTIVAL, Italy 2020
-OGEECHEE History Film festival, Georgia Southern University, Usa, 2020 WINNER: Honorable Mention
-MAINE Jewish Film festival, Portland, 2020
-BOCA RATON Jewish Film festival, Florida, 2020
-WASHINGTON Jewish Film festival, 2020
-TRICKY WOMEN/Tricky realities Animation Film Festival, Wien, 2020
-SGUARDI ALTROVE Film Festival, Milan, 2020
-FAIRY TALES/Queer Film Festival, Calgary, 2020 WINNER: Audience Favourite Award for BEST SHORT FILM
-OPAX Documentary Film Festival,Croatia, 2020
-SCHWULE Filmwoche Freiburg, 2020
-VILNIUS Queer Festival “Kreives”, 2020
-OUTshine Film Festival Miami, 2020
-OLDENBURG Queer Film Festival, 2020
-FESTIVAL MIX: Cine y Diversidad Sexual/ Film & Sexual Diversity, Mexico City 2020
-FLYING BROOM International Women’s Film Festival, Ankara, 2020
-LOBO FEST- Festival Internacional de Filmes, Brasilia, 2019, WINNER: Best International Film
-MERLINKA International Qeer Film Festival, Belgrade 2019, WINNER: Best Animated Film
–LOVERS Film FESTIVAL-Museo del Cinema Torino, 2019
–TLVFest- Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival, Cinemateque Tel Aviv, 2019, WINNER: Honorable Mention.
–JFBB/Jewish Film Festival Berlin Brandeburg, 2019
–SEDICI CORTO Int. Film Festival, Forlì-Italy, 2019, WINNER: Special Mention-Jury Prize
-FLORENCE Queer Int. Film Festival, 2019
–SZCZECIN Documentary Film Festival, Category: Best european documentary, 2019
–DOKUBAKU International Documentary Film Festival, 2019
-SAN DIEGO Italian Film Festival– Italy Exported/Shorts in Competition 2019
-WEITERSTADT Queer FilmFest, 2019, WINNER: BEST MITTELLANGE Film
-BEIJING Queer International FilmFest, 2019
-ST. LOUIS International Film Festival 2019, Oscar® qualifying film festival//documentary short subject
–RIFF / Rome Independent Film Festival, 2019, WINNER: Special Mention/ Animation Section.
-MOVIEVALLEY Bazzacinema FilmFest, Bologna 2019
–ANIMASIVO-Festival de Animación Contemporánea de la Ciudad de México, 2019
–FANCINE GAY-Festival de Cine LGBT de Extremadura, 2019
–VIDEOETNOGRÁFICA/ INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, Museo Etnográfico de Castilla 2019
–KOLKATA International Film Fest, 2019
–SHORT FILM AWARDS-Newark, 2019,WINNER: Best Short Documentary, Best writing in a Documentary Short (Monica Manganelli)
–IFFC/CARDIFF Italian Film festival, 2019
-STORIA IN CORTO/ Film festival,  Mentana 2019. WINNER: Best Short Film
-LJUBLJANA LGBT Film Festival-Slovenian Cinema Center, 2019
-ACCORDI@DISACCORDI-Napoli/Palazzo delle Arti, 2019. WINNER: Best Documentary
–ATLANTIDOC / Festival Internacional de Cine Documental de Uruguay, 2019
-ANTAKYA International film festival, Turkey 2019, WINNER: Special Jury Prize/ Animation Section.

Merlinka JURY STATEMENT for Best Animation to Butterflies in Berlin:
“The emotional, tragi life story of Alex, happening in the time and horror of Nazi atrocities, inspired the author of Butterflies in Berlin to create an unreal world of beautiful moving collages, images and characters that depict, unfortunately, true events. The refined aesthetics of the character captivate the visual skillful and unobtrusive dramaturgy leads through the film. The overall complex artistic and directorial solutions made us want to watch the movie again and to find new hidden parts. It was an extremely difficult task to create such a richly animated film.”

Honorable Mention from TELAVIV/TLVFEST – Jury statement: “Through beautiful, amazingly made Art Deco image, this film outlines an important period in the history of the LGBTQ community, while the main character crossing the boundaries of gender, prohibitions and existence. We’re happy to give the award to the film “Butterflies in Berlin – Diary of a Soul Split in two” by Monica Manganelli.

The film has been invitated by the Italian Embassy in Berlin for the HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY 2020, for a special event and debate to commemorate the victims of the Shoa, together the international journalist Tonia Mastrobuoni (Repubblica).