Via Della Libertà 10

Via Della Libertà 10 is an Italian documentary short running 14 minutes and 53 seconds, written, directed and produced by Marina Capasso. Made in Italian and filmed in Tuscany, the film tells the story of Manuel, a 21-year-old Neapolitan footballer living in Poggibonsi, a quiet town that appears unchanged.

The documentary focuses on football as a metaphor for freedom, dreams and personal redemption. For Manuel, the playing field is the only place where he feels fully alive and free, away from the pressures and social expectations around him. However, his passion clashes with the constraints of time and reality: in his twenties, the protagonist already feels the weight of failure and doubts that he can still achieve the sporting success he wants.

Through an intimate, realistic narrative, Via Della Libertà 10 follows Manuel in daily moments and in training, offering a sincere portrait of a young athlete struggling to find his path. The presence of Manuel Castaldo as himself accentuates the story’s authenticity, while cinematography by David James Watson enhances the suspended atmosphere of the Tuscan town, between dreams and reality.

The film highlights the conflict between ambition and security, and invites viewers to reflect on the courage to pursue their passions even when circumstances seem unfavourable. Its underlying message is not to surrender to fear of time or others’ judgement, but to find in one’s calling a form of personal freedom.

Completed on 1 March 2025, Via Della Libertà 10 is the director’s first work by Marina Capasso and is not a student project.

Film Information

Title: Via Della Libertà 10
Original title: Via Della Libertà 10
Director: Marina Capasso
Production: Marina Capasso
Country: Italy
Language: Italian
Running time: 14 minutes and 53 seconds
Genre: Documentary (short film)
Sport featured: Football
Protagonist(s): Manuel Castaldo
Completion date: 1 March 2025
Premiere: [Not specified]
Distributor: [Not stated]
Shooting format: Digital, colour
Director’s first film: Yes
Student project: No