East Texas, frequently enough overshadowed by the glitz of coastal cities, is the setting for a new documentary challenging ingrained perceptions of America. Life beyond the Pine Curtain – America of the invisible, directed by Giovanni Troilo, premiered at the authors’ Days in Venice and is now available on Sky Tg24 and Now tv, with a screening planned for the 26th edition of the sudestival.
Beyond the Stereotypes: A Poetic Look at East Texas
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The documentary offers an intimate portrayal of life in a lesser-known region of the United states, moving beyond common clichés.
- The film focuses on four residents – Tristan and shannon, Onc, Charles, and Lois – as a lens through which to view the region.
- Contemporary writer Joe R.Lansdale provides a meaningful narrative voice, grounding the film in the local culture.
- Originally intended to cover the 2025 US elections, the documentary evolved to capture a broader sense of a changing America on the cusp of the Trump era.
From Elections to Everyday Life
Initially conceived as a project tied to the US elections of November 5, 2025, the documentary shifted focus from the local electoral campaign of Marlena Cooper, the first Black female Democratic candidate, to the communities of East Texas. “We understood that it could be a historic passage that would lead to the elections of Trump,” Troilo noted. The film ultimately centers on small towns like Gladewater, longview, and Kilgore, revealing a side of Texas frequently enough unseen.
The film’s visual identity is deeply intertwined with its setting. Marco Tommaselli’s photography immerses viewers in the colors and sounds of East Texas, while the stories of the four protagonists add depth and soul to the landscape. “The landscape can be considered the fifth character of the documentary: unexpected and surprising!” Troilo emphasized. Its a Texas far removed from the skyscrapers and fast food often associated with the American image.
A Literary Connection
The inclusion of Joe R. Lansdale, a writer born and still residing in Texas, was pivotal. His work, deeply rooted in the region’s imagery, provided a natural fit for the film. “We started from that imagery, and then uncovered the various corners of it,” Troilo explained. “The writer’s stories, despite not being written specifically for the film, fit perfectly with the imagery presented.”
Troilo recounted a memorable anecdote from the initial scouting trip on July 4th: arriving in a sweltering 45-degree heat to find a deserted landscape, eventually discovering a diner seemingly sheltering the entire town. A chance encounter with a journalist from the Gladewater Mirror, facilitated by Lansdale’s contacts, marked the beginning of the adventure. “Luckily most of the anecdotes remained trapped in the film. One for all the disappearance of Baby Jesus…”
Life beyond the Pine Curtain – America of the invisible is a 77-minute documentary directed by Giovanni Troilo, with a screenplay co-written by Troilo, Seba Pezzani, and Joe R.H. Lansdale. Marco Tommaselli served as the cinematographer, Adriano Patruno handled the editing, and Seba Pezzani and Marcello Marcellini composed the music.Cinzia Negherbon contributed to the scenography, while Matteo Bendinelli and Filippo Barracco managed the sound. Joe R.H.Lansdale provides the narration, and the film features tristan Roberts, Kord Laird, Charlie Walker, and Lois Reed as themselves. Production was lead by Cinzia Negherbon for Sky Italia and SKY TG 24, in collaboration with Chiarafama. The film originated in Italy in 2025 and is being distributed by Digital Nexus.
