
“The Profound Exchange Between Doctor and Patient” | Gianluca Matarrese, GEN_

Films are made over many days, but some days are more memorable, and important, than others. Imagine yourself in ten years looking back on this production. What day from your film’s development, production or post do you think you’ll view as the most significant and why?
The most memorable day, without a doubt, was the very first day I met the doctor and began filming simultaneously. It was an overwhelming vortex of emotions. In just one day, I observed and listened to the stories of more than ten patients, stories of resilience, pain, and joy. All at once. All ages, all walks of life. I was in awe of the privilege and preciousness of having access to a space so full of life. Even though I didn’t share the same struggles, I found myself deeply relating to each story in different ways.
What struck me most, beyond the medical aspects, was witnessing the care and connection the doctor established with every patient. In those moments, I confronted some of my own unconscious biases, watching them surface and dissolve almost immediately. I was also left with questions I’d never asked myself before.
Together with my co-author Donatella Della Ratta, who was in the room that day, we had an epiphany: we understood our position within the film, and we realized what the film truly was. It wasn’t merely about the workings of a hospital service; it was about the profound exchange between doctor and patient. That relationship was what captivated us.
When I got home after just one morning at the hospital, for the first time in my life, I said to myself, “I’ve found the film.”