Wishing on a Star

"I may not believe in astrology, but I do believe in her." Speaking here is Slovakian director Peter Kerekes about 63-year-old Luciana de Leoni D'Asparedo, the protagonist of his new film Wishing on a Star. When asked to make a film about her, he initially rejected the idea, once he met her, he changed his mind. The result: this wonderful mix of documentary and real emotions.

In a ruined castle near Venice lives astrologer Luciana, who specialises in “astrocartography”. Her clients are people with unfulfilled wishes, people walking a dead-end life path or people who can no longer cope with the confusion in their lives. Luciana draws their horoscope and then, based on very accurate geographic readings, determines where those people should travel to, often distant places. Once there, they will be reborn on their birthday. Meanwhile, Luciana has her own problems.