FRANCESCO PAOLO PALADINO with DOROTHY MOSKOWITZ MONASTIR
24-page 21x21cm Book + CD, ltd. 250 hand-numbered copies
MONASTIR – A film written and directed by FRANCESCO PAOLO PALADINO
- Synopsis
A cosmic operator (Edward Ka-Spel), tasked with cleansing the Universe, stumbles upon the remains of a mysterious monastery scattered in Jupiter’s skies during his work shift. The monastery once housed a community of cloistered nuns devoted to cosmic solitude. Among the ruins, he discovers the diary of Suona Menfrem (Dorothy Moskowitz). Through her words, he uncovers the secrets of her soul—her love for a woman millions of light years away—and learns why the monastery was abandoned.
The nuns’ mission, after reaching Jupiter via traditional propellants, was to replace them with the energy of prayers. Menfrem’s writings reveal the mission’s failure: the prayers, as fuel, lacked purity and truth. The absence of human forms in the ruins suggests an extreme act—the nuns may have sacrificed themselves, dissolving into the cosmos to become prayers (pure energy). The cosmic operator has no way of knowing whether this act opened new cosmic or moral horizons for them. Yet, he returns to Earth with Menfrem’s manuscript, which grants him a new vision of the universe he traverses daily.
- Literary References
Written and rewritten over three and a half years of meticulous work, Monastir is first and foremost a tribute to Andrei Tarkovskij. Conceived in poetic verses by Francesco Paolo Paladino, the story was later adapted to suit the vocal artistry of Dorothy Moskowitz, with contributions from Luca Chino Ferrari and Edward Ka-Spel. Paladino is no stranger to challenging, science-fiction themes (see his award-winning film Dust to Dust, winner of the 2013 International River Film Festival).
“In this work,” says Paladino, “I sought to merge the scent of science with that of religion, choosing an ambiguous setting that could hold every kind of question and unresolved doubt.”
- Musical References
The core of Monastir was initially composed by Paladino with the invaluable assistance of Roberto Laneri. Drawing from the collaborative techniques he’d explored during his Doubling Riders era, Paladino assembled a group of artists who enthusiastically contributed to the project.
Inspired by the sonic experimentation of De Musica et in Fungorum Effectis—which bridged the worlds of Saint Augustine and John Cage—Paladino applied Cage’s “random” concept to the work. The textures of the participating artists were woven almost magically into the composition.
Originally intended as part of a United States of Alchemy album titled Monastir/Songs of Compassion (2023), the project initially focused only on the sung portions. However, after the May 11, 2024 concert at Angelica (Bologna, Italy), Paladino revisited the work, reintegrating structural musical elements and expanding it into a 50-minute piece.
The evolution of Monastir owes much to Dorothy Moskowitz, whose brilliant vocal artistry shaped the harmonies, making her an irreplaceable co-author. Yet every contributor—musicians, poets, visual artists—brought their own indispensable vision to the work.
“In my works,” says Paladino, “there’s an invisible score made of a precious material: the childlike enthusiasm of those who dare to touch a forbidden nucleus. I saw this enthusiasm reflected in every artist who joined me—so much so that I was often moved hearing their contributions, which aligned perfectly with my conception of the work, even when their understanding was only intuitive. This is a unique kind of randomness: one rooted in mutual respect, where shadows reveal the unmistakable silhouettes of kindred spirits.”
- The Film
“I began with the concept of ‘space debris,’” explains Paladino. “In Monastir, everything unfolds because a cosmic operator accidentally discovers a monastery lost in the cosmos. Here, ‘debris’ takes on a positive meaning—it becomes a find, an artistic treasure, unique and irreplaceable. Science, too, can decipher entire civilizations through fragments, just as a single drop of blood can reveal the health of a body.
When I discovered the Pexels platform, a world opened to me: thousands of visual artifacts, photos, and videos, freely shared by their creators. These were submerged treasures in the digital cosmos. I spent months sifting through them, selecting images with care, and weaving them into the film—alongside footage I’d shot earlier and new installations by Luka Moncaleano, Shiaron Carolina Moncaleano, Maria Assunta Karini, and Silvano Tinelli.
The musical euphoria I described earlier transformed into visual euphoria. The film emerged through experimentation with Final Cut Pro, a gift from Roberto Dassoni. It was a challenge—and today, I take immense pride in having embraced it.”
