The Reach: An Interview with Luca Caserta

Please tell us about the projects you worked on before making ‘The Reach’. How did you start, and how did you learn to make films?

I’ve been involved in show business since childhood. After earning a Master’s Degree and working as a theater director and playwright, I moved to Rome to study filmmaking. I graduated in directing and screenwriting from the Cinema Academy of Cinecittà under renowned Italian masters such as Carlo Lizzani and Furio Scarpelli. To further deepen my understanding of cinematic language, I also studied cinematography with Giuseppe Lanci at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia and other academies. Among my previous works, I directed a trilogy of short films (“Inside the Mirror”, “Out of the Depths”, “The Other Side of the Moon”) using genre cinema as a metaphor to explore the darker side of the human soul. The editing supervisor of “Inside the Mirror” was Ugo De Rossi, longtime editor for directors such as Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini, who played an invaluable role in mentoring me during my debut as a filmmaker. I also directed “The Canvas Forge”, an experimental documentary about the birth of a painting, and “Tell Me Who I Am”, a short film tackling themes of violence against women, memory loss and the search for one’s own lost identity and dignity. “Tell Me Who I Am” won 180 awards worldwide and features the beautiful song “Piccola stella senza cielo” by Italian rock icon Luciano Ligabue. All my films are available on YouTube and Prime Video.

Tell us about ‘The Reach’. How do you describe it?

“The Reach” is based upon a short story by Stephen King, who granted me the rights to adapt it for the screen as part of his official Dollar Baby Program. This story is so intense and poetic and bewitched me because it delicately addresses deep themes such as memory, roots, the succeeding generations, the inexorable passage of time and love that transcends the boundaries of life, all within King’s paranormal touch. As a longtime admirer of his work, this opportunity was both a great honor, but also a huge responsibility. In adapting it, I aimed to preserve its essence while taking creative liberties to shape my own vision. That crossing, which the main character Stella never wanted to undertake, holds deep emotional and symbolic meaning: the moment has come to face her inner demons. I also used “The Reach” as a metaphor for the delicate theme of the end-of-life and as a reflection on today’s climate upheavals, represented by the coldest frost in fifty years, a key motif in the film. Exploring isolation, personal growth and the courage to embrace change, “The Reach”, for me, resonates with universal human themes. The soundtrack features Bruce Springsteen’s song “Moonlight Motel”, courtesy of the artist and Sony Music. I had it in mind from the very beginning, even when I was writing the screenplay: to me, it’s a song about love and what remains of it, memories, the flow of time and life, the nostalgia for what has been and is no more. Its delicate, nostalgic melody and lyrics perfectly complement the film’s themes, enhancing its emotional depth and adding further layers of meaning. I’ve been a huge fan of his since I was a kid, growin’ up listening to his music. I love his songs. Having one of them in my film is a great honor too and a dream come true.

Please tell us about your favorite filmmakers.

I’m a movie buff with eclectic tastes, from drama and social justice to comedy, from sci-fi to horror. I like all good cinema. As a filmmaker it’s really important to watch everything you can that could inspire you. I think the best inspiration comes from what works subconsciously, blending everything you’ve watched, read, listened to, lived and inhaled in the cauldron hidden in the deepest part of you, infused with your personal touch. If I had to pick some filmmakers who inspire me the most, I would mention Fellini, Pier Paolo Pasolini, the masters of Italian Neorealism, the Nouvelle Vague, David Lynch, Miyazaki, Cronenberg and Tim Burton. I also grew up enjoying watching Spielberg’s and George Lucas’ movies (I love “Indiana Jones” and the first “Star Wars” trilogy!), Robert Zemeckis’ “Back to the Future”, Paul Verhoeven’s “RoboCop” and “Total Recall”. There are many more I could mention, but above all, my favorite filmmaker is Stanley Kubrick: after watching “2001: A Space Odyssey” when I was a guy, I decided that I wanted to become a director. That movie completely blew my mind, I think it’s one of the most important and influential films in cinema history. I recently watched two movies that I liked a lot: “Poor Things” by Lantimos, which is so strange, creative and interesting also from the point of view of cinematic language, and “The Return” by Uberto Pasolini, a really powerful, deep and well-directed movie, which I saw as a preview at 2024 Rome Film Fest. It’s about Ulysses’ return to Ithaca, but it also explores the consequences of war on human beings, an always-relevant theme.

If you were given a good budget, what would be your ideal project?

I think it would be amazing to expand “The Reach” into a feature-length film! There’s so much more to explore and deepen about the characters, their relationships and the small community living on Goat Island. It would be fantastic to delve into the lives of the isle’s inhabitants and the personal stories behind them, while also exploring further their psychologies and the powerful themes at the heart of the story. I’d also love to develop a fantasy feature film based on a play I wrote and directed years ago, for which I already have a treatment prepared. It’s a very unique story where I let my imagination run wild, featuring a warrior princess who embarks on an adventurous journey to save her dying kingdom.

Describe how you would ensure that production is on schedule. What steps would you take?

Keeping a production on schedule requires meticulous planning, strong leadership and the ability to adapt to challenges. The first crucial step is thorough pre-production: scouting locations, casting, assembling a reliable crew, choosing the best possible collaborators and creating a detailed shooting schedule. A well-structured production plan with clearly defined timelines helps set expectations and minimizes delays. Effective communication across all departments is essential. Ensuring that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities allows for smoother coordination. Previsualizing shots and camera movements in advance saves time on set, as does rehearsing with actors beforehand to refine performances and avoid unnecessary retakes. During production, sticking to the daily shooting schedule is key. This means setting realistic goals for each day, managing time efficiently on set and staying flexible in case of unexpected issues. Having contingency plans for potential setbacks (such as weather changes, technical failures or last-minute adjustments) helps prevent disruptions. A director must also be quick in decision-making, balancing creativity with efficiency. While it’s important to allow space for spontaneity, staying mindful of time constraints ensures that the film progresses as planned. Monitoring progress daily and making real-time adjustments when needed will help keep everything on track. Filmmaking is a machine made up of many gears and if one of them isn’t working properly, there will be problems for sure. You must be ready for the unexpected, which is always just around the corner on a film set. Excellent preparation, clear communication, and problem-solving skills are the keys to keeping production on schedule while maintaining creative integrity.

What was the hardest part of making ‘The Reach’?

The first major challenge was adapting the short story, as I had to make some tough decisions to remain both faithful to it and creative at the same time. The film was shot mainly in my hometown, Verona (Italy), and it wasn’t easy to find locations that would be consistent with a story set on an island off the coast of Maine. I tried to create a hybrid style and a kind of “non-place” to blend as much as possible the Italian and the American culture. Another challenge was that we shot in late spring a story actually set in autumn and primarily in the coldest winter of the last fifty years, so we had to fake the weather conditions. Some scenes were in reality shot earlier, like the final one, which was filmed in February in the Lessini Mountains above Verona, taking advantage of an unexpected snowfall. We also had to simulate the snow in some other scenes, requiring me to get creative during the screenplay writing, since it was impossible to shoot them as described in the original short story with the budget I had. We ran some tests during pre-production and decided to use two snow machines on set. Then, we added some extra snow in VFX. Completing the movie was a tough challenge, like pushing a boulder uphill. During all the production there were a lot of hitches, that I solved as they came, but this is part of the filmmaking process. It was a rather long and complex production in which I put all my passion, energy, commitment, resources and creativity to maintain my vision, while staying on schedule to meet the deadline I had with the Dollar Baby Program. I sent the finished movie to Stephen King and to my great surprise he personally wrote me an email with his feedback and congratulations, referring to my film as a lovely piece of work. That was incredibly kind of him. It was a great honor and satisfaction that repaid me for all the efforts and sacrifices made to complete the film. I’ll always be grateful to him for giving me this amazing opportunity.

If possible, tell us about your next work. What plans do you have for your future work?

I’m working on some new projects, both fictional and documentary. Maybe it’s an Italian thing, but for superstition’s sake, I’d rather not say too much at the moment... as they say: don’t put all your eggs in one basket!