BIOGRAFILM’S TRAINING FOR DOC AROUND EUROPE’S ALUMNI NETWORK
CAN WE WRITE REALITY? a workshop held by Francesca Sofia Allegra
Workshop description
"Documentaries are written in the editing room". This profound truth was at the centre of the masterclass held on 7 March, gathering great interest and involvement. During the meeting, it was shared what it means to be a documentary film editor. Those present explored the role of the editor as a witness to the transformation of raw footage into compelling narratives, a process that reveals the unlimited potential of storytelling. As documentary filmmakers, their mission is to narrate reality. However, within each frame of footage lies a multitude of narratives. Often the initially conceived story takes a back seat, leaving room for a completely new and unexpected narrative, discovered during the editing process.
This is the transformative power of the editing room: the ability to embrace radical change and stay open to the unexpected, a mindset that is essential for any enlightened storyteller. The masterclass is not just a workshop; it is an exploration of the lessons learned, the challenges faced, and the evolution of the craft thanks to collaboration with esteemed colleagues.
One of the examples presented is Here I Am by Marc J. Francis, an observational documentary shot over the course of a year in New York and Detroit. The film captures the transformational journey of Syrian-American musician Rayya Elias as she enters a romantic relationship with bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) and attempts to record her first music album during the last twelve months of her life.
This documentary required more than six years of editing, with countless iterations involving multiple editors and failed attempts, before finally finding its true form in 2024. The lengthy process underscores a key lesson: documentary filmmaking is a collaborative effort, a dance between the footage, the editor, the director, and the producers, all of whom must trust and respect the organic rhythm of the creative process.
Here is an excerpt from the masterclass:
The trainer
Francesca Sofia Allegra is a distinguished editor known for her exceptional skills in documentary storytelling. Although she collaborated with top professionals on the highly successful italian docu-series (SanPa for Netflix and Veleno for Prime Video), and she often work as trailer editor, her main focus are independent documentaries with impactful stories, such as The Walls of Bergamo directed by the award-winning Stefano Savona, competed for Best Documentary at the 73rd Berlinale. Francesca's latest project is Here I am by Marc J. Francis, a life-affirming tale of love, grief and the healing power of creativity.
In 2014, she moved from Italy to London, where she based with her partner and two cats named Akira and Cooper. She member of EFA, Berlinale Talents, Bafta Connect, British Film Editors and Women in Film and TV.
