Silvia Gallerano: Stolen Nudes & Theater Exploitation

Which is still unknown to many as regards the varied dynamics with which over the years it has been establishing itself. It was 2020 and Silvia Gallerano, First Italian actress to win The Stage Award for Acting Excellence in the Best Performer section al section Fringe Festival of Edinburgh, One of the most important events in the world dedicated to the theater, denounced the postal police that the images that portrayed her naked on stage during the show “La Merda” (directed by Cristian Ceresoli) of which he is the protagonist.

The images had been “stolen” by the streaming platform that hosted them and then loaded on a pornographic site. «The promotional ones published on Facebook Instead – he says – they were canceled because they are considered offensive by the social network ».

On 3 September in Rimini, On the stage of the Festival Le Visible Citiesthe actress debuts with the feminist karaoke show (from a Monica Nappo project edited by Nicoletta Scrivo, theater of Dionysus), occasional motif of a chat: «Nationalplarge culture is imbued with patriarchal words And with this show we want to bring some awareness ».

Silvia Gallerano, remember when she discovered that her nude images had been loaded on a pornographic site?
“Everything happened in 2020. At the time of Lockdown, many theatrical performances were made available to the community on streaming platforms, since the theaters were closed. The show “La shit” was also put online, awarded at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh. I think it was the Festival website that published it. The meaning is this: if I go on stage naked means that that nude makes sense that must remain limited to the story that I bring on stage. It makes sense that spectators look at this naked. More generally, as I believe anyone, I show myself naked where I want and with whom I want but above all because I want it ».

A difficult case, his …
«I had given consent to be streamed. Then the unthinkable happened. That video was taken and moved. He ended up on a pornographic site, where he was even cataloged in a specific category, so to speak, “theatrical”. All this is obscene. There were also extracted from other theatrical performances in which the actresses showed naked, obviously in the original intent, they did it for profession and art. On these yes, now you know, the unspeakable comments posted by men men follow one another. We reported everything to the postal police at the end of 2020, with the support of the lawyer Francesca Garisto. Very difficult situation: being images taken from theatrical performances and having agreed to spreading on the net, their diffusion is easy to imagine how uphill the path has been. ”

Let’s go back to the show. What theme deals with “shit”? Did you have problems during the tours?
“” The shit “in extreme synthesis is the story of a girl willing to do everything in order to be successful in the world of entertainment. But the nude is an expedient to prevent the character from being framed within particular stereotypes. Even an allusion to the violence to which the body is often sacrificed, from diets, to continuous exposure, etc. It was 2012 is already at the time we were very attentive, as we are still on tour: no video, no possibility of taking photos, also a request to delete the materials if the images are taken or shot the videos ».

So the “theft” occurred exclusively online?
«Yes, as I said after the publication on the Streaming platform. Instead what happened on Facebook is paradoxical: it hindered the promotion of the show. The images, due to the presence of the nude, have been considered offensive and therefore eliminated. A paradox, so to speak. I take this opportunity to say, however, that the actresses should be protected and protected. Because for many we are still the ones we sell our bodies to make a career ».

In Rimini on 3 September he presents feminist karaoke. Themes that return. What’s at the center of this new show?
«Born from an idea of ​​Monica Nappo, author and actress I respect. A wonderful person. This show also arises from a friendship and we want to launch a provocation: mass culture, the nationalpopular one is imbued with patriarchal words. Except that we don’t always realize it. We offer a real karaoke, a collective rite, on the stage we have a screen of those who use to read the texts. In the center the most ‘patriarchal’ words of popular national music ».

Some examples?
«We do not point the finger at any artist, ours is a reflection on pop, nationalpopular culture and we take music for example. We mention, to say, the “Modà”. One of their songs, which is called “Meschina”, there are verses in which they sing: “Kneel, apologize”. But just to make another example we also mention Mia Martini. We make an excursus among all genres. We do not accuse the artists, we make fun of ourselves because we all sang these songs. We want to bring some collective awareness ».