In Viareggio, where papier-mâché at Carnival becomes a collective story, Luca Bertozzi’s “In good luck” float has established itself as one of the most powerful images of this year. The reference is immediate: the tale of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, but the meaning soon distances itself from the classical reading.
Here fear is not a condemnation and the ending is not written in advance. Bertozzi overturns the perspective and constructs a message that looks forward. The focus is on how you deal with difficulties. Little Red Riding Hood, initially scared of the wolf, symbolizes the fear that we all encounter in life. The scene shows how, with step by step and a decisive gesture, one can overcome the obstacle and take control of the situation.
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The wolf as an obstacle, not as an enemy
The great protagonist is the wolf, with a monumental muzzle measuring five by five metres, initially hidden by completely white trees. A precise chromatic choice, designed as a theatrical backdrop, which accentuates the anticipation. When the wolf emerges, it opens its jaws wide and shows eyes red with anger, embodying the difficulties of life.
In front of him, Little Red Riding Hood appears fragile, but only at the beginning. After dropping the basket, he overcomes the initial shock and finds the courage to react: he takes off his hood, looks the wolf in the eyes and faces him by interacting with him. The decisive gesture is contact, a caress that transforms the beast into a tame presence.
It is here that the construction reveals its deepest meaning, far from any rhetoric. The sequence clearly illustrates how facing a challenge does not mean eliminating it, but managing it with awareness and positivity. Bertozzi constructs a visual allegory, without moralism, which invites the viewer to reflect on their daily choices.
The author’s message
The meaning of the work is also clearly explained on the Viareggio Carnival website:
Along the path of life we may encounter dangers, risks and difficulties. Inevitably, Little Red Riding Hood will find herself face to face with the fearsome Wolf, but that doesn’t mean the fairy tale has to end the same way. The author’s message is to face your path with courage, always look ahead with positivity and optimism, even when you find yourself faced with life’s great obstacles, represented here by the ravenous wolf, to change what happens to us for the better, starting from your own small actions.
A message consistent with Bertozzi’s personal journey, which entrusts imagination as a response to the expectations and difficulties of recent years.
Over 200 masks animate the float
The strength of the chariot is not just symbolic. Around 200 masks, dressed as elements of the undergrowth, animate the scene with choreographies curated by Silvia Barbieri for the dance and by Franco Esposito and Silvia Di Fatta for the theatrical part. Epic music accompanies every gesture, creating a coherent visual experience that is understandable to all.
Active since 2007 and winner in the First category in 2021, Bertozzi confirms here his ability to transform modeling and scenic construction into narration: a visual fairy tale that speaks of courage, positivity and small daily gestures, remembering that facing fear can change the outcome of the story.
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