L'invisibile agli occhi

Samu is eighteen, lives on the outskirts of Naples and is an established tennis player. His life appears to be on a clear path: a sporting career, financial resources and a family that is always present. This is the premise of L'invisibile agli occhi, also presented under the English title The invisible to the eyes, an Italian fiction short directed by Andrea Palmiero. The story focuses on the distance between the image others have of the young man and what he struggles to understand about himself.

A defeat and his retreat to the changing room bring the pressure surrounding results to the surface. Tennis remains central to conversations at home: his parents refer to the sacrifices made, his game and his career prospects. Samu also interacts with friends and a romantic partner. The possibility of continuing or stepping away from expectations thus runs through different places and relationships in his everyday life.

The court, changing room, home and nighttime meetings define the film's settings. The audience and trophy belong to the competitive arena; Samu's room and domestic doorways host family exchanges. The cinematography alternates warm-toned interiors, nighttime contrasts and daytime exteriors. The court's net, windows and doors recur in compositions that place the protagonist in relation to those watching or speaking to him.

Tennis therefore forms part of the construction of a coming-of-age story: questions about what it means to win, lose or pursue a sporting career intertwine with the need to make one's own choices. The title refers to what remains outside the athlete's public image, as the story unfolds through conversations, encounters and situations in his private life.

Palmiero co-wrote the screenplay with Martina Fusco and Alessandro Polverino and also appears in the cast, alongside Marialaura Chirichella, Carmine Iannone, Agata Pennisi, Gabriella Iovino and Ciro De Crescenzo. The producers are Andrea Palmiero, Francesco Palmiero, Giovanna Grimaldi and Massimo Esposito. Cinematography is by Alessandro Polverino; Onda's Corporation handles executive production and post-production.