Screened as part of NZIFF 2018

Nico, 1988 2017

Directed by Susanna Nicchiarelli Music & Dance

The last years and final performances of legendary singer Nico – who did not want to be remembered as Lou Reed’s femme fatale – are brought vividly to the screen by Danish actress Trine Dyrholm.

Italy In Czech, English and German with English subtitles
93 minutes DCP

Director/Screenplay

Producers

Marta Donzelli
,
Gregorio Paonessa
,
Joseph Rouschop
,
Valérie Bournonville

Photography

Crystel Fournier

Editor

Stefano Cravero

Production designers

Alessandro Vannucci
,
Igor Gabriel

Costume designers

Francesca Vecchi
,
Roberta Vecchi

Music

Gatto Ciliegia contro il Grande Freddo

With

Trine Dyrholm (Nico)
,
John Gordon Sinclair (Richard)
,
Anamaria Marinca (Sylvia)
,
Sandor Funtek (Ari)
,
Thomas Trabacchi (Domenico)
,
Karina Fernandez (Laura)
,
Calvin Demba (Alex)
,
Francesco Colella (Francesco)

Festivals

Venice 2017; Rotterdam
,
Tribeca 2018

“Approaching 50, singer-songwriter Nico leads a solitary, low-key existence in Manchester, far from her glam days in the 1960s as a Warhol superstar and celebrated vocalist for The Velvet Underground. Unconcerned about her career, Nico is urged on by her new manager to embark on a tour of Europe. Dependent on heroin, and usually in an unforgiving mood, Nico uses the tour to try to re-establish a connection with her son, from whom she’s long been separated. Nico is still a fearless and extraordinary performer, and the film captures both the missteps and the moments of glory. With what Variety describes as a ‘zombie-pitch-perfect’ performance by Dyrholm (who sings herself), Nico, 1988 is an uncompromising biopic of a singular figure in popular culture.” — Sydney Film Festival

“In exploring the German singer’s life after her 1960s fame had waned, writer/director Susanna Nicchiarelli and star Trine Dyrholm craft a late-career biopic that acts not only as a portrait of a complex figure, but recognises the considerable toll of daring not to conform… Aesthetically and emotionally immersive… the movie proves as accessible to newcomers as it is to seasoned fans.” — Sarah Ward, Screendaily