Between 1913 and 1915, Enrico Guazzoni directed Pina Menichelli in seven films, among them Alla deriva, a poignant story in the style of a serial. During a fire, Pina is saved by her young cousin Enrico, who is blinded by the flames. The girl becomes Enrico’s guide, and the two earn their living as street musicians. Pina falls in love with Count Manlio, who sets her on the path to a singing career. For the sake of success, she abandons Enrico, but years later, overcome by remorse, she decides to leave Manlio in order to care for her cousin once again. Even from the fragment being screened, it is clear that the film revolves around the stage presence and intense performance of Pina Menichelli with her ability to hypnotise the viewer with magnetic and unsettling gazes, which Guazzoni skilfully emphasises through frequent, lingering close-ups and chiaroscuro contrasts that amplify their dramatic impact.

Giovanni Lasi