Carnival of Masks

Carnival of Masks is a feature documentary about the people behind the magic of Venice, Italy's Carnevale - one of the world's oldest and most infamous costume cultures which has transformed the city into a living theater for over a millennia. The film highlights mask makers like Marilisa Dal Cason, one of the few female “mascareras" ever in Venice with her own shop and more than 40 years under her belt as well as renowned costume designers like Francesco Briggi who even makes his own hats on a 400 year old steam machine. We're documenting creatives like these as they work to sustain ancient traditions in an era of mass tourism and commercialism. Set against the backdrop of the city’s waning population and environmental threats like rising tides, the film unmasks the mysteries of Venetian Carnival’s past while illuminating paths forward and touching on the identity politics at play in this event that draws over a million people from around the world annually.