#1763: Blending Theater and 360 Video in “Re-Launching-Luigi-Broglio”

I interviewed Vincenzo Cavallo about Re-Launching-Luigi-Broglio on Monday, September 1, 2025 at Venice Immersive in Venice, Italy.

Here is the story synopsis for Re-Launching-Luigi-Broglio:

"This project gives the chance to dive into the legend of Luigi Broglio [11 November 1911 – 14 January 2001]— who audaciously catapulted Italy into the cosmos from the first space base built on an equatorial sea platform in the 1960s. Within a 360° theatre, audiences become voyeurs to a duel between Broglio and journalist Tristano Malaugurio, two prisoners of fading memory trapped in the ghostly command centre of Kenya’s San Marco space station. Through interviews and flashbacks, we plunge into the African expedition, the explosive encounter with oil giant Enrico Mattei, a near-diplomatic crisis with President Nasser, and a jaw-dropping climax to rewrite history. A group of Italian mavericks daring to compete with the space superpowers. This saga proves that the most impossible dreams ignite into reality when courage meets creativity and determination. Luigi Broglio inspires minds and warms hearts, which is why he deserves to be re-launched!"

Here are the contextual domains that are explored:

Space exploration [9] and foreign African countries relative to main character's home of Italy [4], the various conflicts with various institutional entities [7] including the impact of capitalism and colonialism [2], his careeer and profession [10], His home of Italy [4] juxtaposing between these two worlds in the piece [9].

Here is the Elemental Center of Gravity:

1st Center of Gravity of Emotional Presence: Cinematic 360 video, and story of Luigi Broglio (1911-2001) Imaginal time with journalist while Broglio was still alive with flashbacks. Half of the world is present day, and turning around to the stage is the past.2nd Center of Gravity of Earth Element / Environmental and Embodied Presence: Theatrical staging, uses two 180-degree shots stitched together to travel between spaces. The environments are imagined as if it waa a play. One side is the present moment of the story, with the other side being the past. Spatial representation of time3rd Center of Gravity of Fire Element / Active Presence: As a viewer of 360 video, you do end up having to physically move your body to watch the video as the main fccus of action will split between these two sides, but these interactions are not impacting the story in any sense, and end up being more of an artifact of the 360 medium itself4th Center of Gravity of Air Element / Mental and Social Presence: Most of the experience is dialogues and monologues. Characters speaking to each other. A confrontational journalist who is asking the questions and prompting the story to progress

Archetypal Themes and Character Explored:

Power dynamics of the structures of captialism & colonialism- "the explosive encounter with oil giant Enrico Mattei, a near-diplomatic crisis with President Nasser" + "time to rediscover Italian colonial and postcolonial history through fresh eyes." "This saga proves that the most impossible dreams ignite into reality when courage meets creativity and determination." Memory, the past, history, colonialism: "two prisoners of fading memory trapped in the ghostly command centre of Kenya’s San Marco space station"

Artist Statement:

"As Italians who are living in Kenya we relentlessly hunt for untold stories woven between Africa and Europe. Italians who ended up in Africa during and after colonialism, Africans and Afro-Italians who helped forge Italy, before, during and after World War II — a vast cultural heritage overlooked for various reasons. It’s time to rediscover Italian colonial and postcolonial history through fresh eyes. We believe this immersive experience — designed for science museums and educational venues — will unlock new perspectives on both science and international cooperation."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo-L88oT7Y0

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