A student of literature and anthropology, Italian actor, director, and author Ascanio Celestini (b. 1972) is keenly interested in the commedia dell’arte and runs a number of workshops. Since his first play Cicoria (1998), centered on Pasolini, he has performed numerous monologues based on testimonies and encounters. His film La pecora nera (2010) was an official selection at the 67th Venice International Film Festival, and his latest story collection is titled Io cammino in fila indiana (Einaudi, 2011).