For the first time since 1964, the Pirelli Calendar’s pictures are going to be taken by an Italian photographer: in fact, the author of 2020’s edition is Paolo Roversi. The title of the calendar is “Looking for Juliet”. The photographer’s project, which involves actresses and singers of different cultures and countries, takes indeed inspiration from Shakespeare’s tragedy and the encounter of love, strength, youth, and beauty represented by its female protagonist. «I’m still looking for my Juliet and I think I will be looking for her for the rest of my life because, in the end, Juliet is nothing but a dream», said the photographer during the preparation.
Roversi called to play the role of Juliet nine characters: British actresses Claire Foy and Mia Goth, British actress and activist Emma Watson, American actresses Indya Moore, Yara Shahidi and Kristen Stewart, Chinese singer Chris Lee, Spanish singer Rosalia, and Stella Roversi, Paolo’s daughter: «She’s not a professional model. She’s 20 and goes to art school: she’s my Juliet» stated the photographer in an interview with Corriere. The protagonists of “Looking for Juliet” are called to act, pose and sing, each one through her own emotivity, art form, personality, character, and her own interpretation of the role.
One of the locations of the shots is Verona, the city in which Shakespeare’s tragedy takes place, but some of the shots are taken in Paris, the city in which the photographer has been living for a long time: «Paris gave me a lot, I got there many years ago, I discovered fashion in Paris, before then I didn’t even know who Chanel was, I was a total fashion analphabet».
To see the finished shots, of course, we’ll have to wait for December, but you can see a preview of what’s going to be inside the calendar by seeing the backstage pictures and by watching the backstage:
Words by Elena Affricani