A POETIC DOCUMENTARY
TOPOS
Topos, a poetic documentary (5min 45sec) is my fifth film and first experimental short, blending poetry and moving image.
Shot across the hills & coastlines of Calabria and the hairpin roads of the Greek island of Crete, Topos is a voyage to the ancestral lands of the Mediterranean — capturing its physical and spiritual topographies as they are animated with the voices of the past, and as a traveller reflects on their ties to her heritage and personal history.
My intention with the project was to capture the landscapes of my ancestors as they spoke to me in real time — what emerged was a very personal vignette somewhere between a memory, a dream and a meditation, exploring the profound connection between land, ancestry, memory, grief, wholeness and integration. I worked closely with select post-production collaborators to realise this vision.
I wanted this film to spark dialogue around the deeper layers of our relationships with place, the impact of disconnection from our roots, and the powerful possibilities for reconnection and integration that lie in the landscapes that await us. Through the events, interviews, screenings, creative workshops and press coverage that followed, that goal was beautifully achieved.
As a result of releasing the film with such positive reception, I produced a zine, Topos, a poetic landscape, incorporating stills and poetry, collaborating closely with designer Nikita Steinberg through conception, production and printing.
CREDITS
Written, directed, shot and edited by Issabella Orlando
Produced by Aetia Studio
Colour by Conor Tychowski
Music & Sound Design by J.E. Dufton
Vocals by Bethan Jones
PRESS
Mubi
Filmotomy
The Reel Girls Club Podcast
I’m Intrigued Podcast
AWARDS & SCREENINGS
Best Non-Fiction, Innovart Film Festival – July 2025
Official Selection, Femme Filmmakers Festival - September 2025
Screening & Creative Writing Workshop at Oru Space - January 2026
Screening with Pink Revisions & ArtHouse Crouch End - October 2025
Screening & Poetry Performance with Oxford Poetry Library - September 2025
Screening & Panel Discussion at Markfield Road Festival - August 2025
Screening & Essay Reading with Antlers Zine & Photobook Cafe - August 2025
Screening & Roundtable Discussion with Reference Point - June 2025
Screening & Q+A with Bad Gal Film Club & Close Up Film Centre - May 2025
Screening & Q+A with Film Tottenham - May 2025
