VIAGGIO NOTTURNO . Bottega Veneta 8.4.2011

Bottega Veneta has created a short film on the subject of travel, made in collaboration with the photographer and director Christian Weber. The film, entitled "Viaggio Notturno," is set to debut in April on the brand's web site and select other online venues. It is the centerpiece of a new travel-themed digital campaign for the luxury goods brand, focusing attention on Bottega Veneta's unique array of luggage and travel accessories.

"Viaggio Notturno" is a brief and enigmatic meditation on travel and the possibilities it engenders. It follows two individuals, a man and a woman, in the suite of an elegant hotel. Whether they are in the same space at the same time is unclear. Indeed, the creation of a narrative is left to the viewer. What is clear is simply and evocatively the allure and romance of the journey. Shot in New York City in February, 2011, "Viaggio Notturno" is a departure for Bottega Veneta, whose other videos focus on the artisanal techniques and collaborative processes that define the brand. More romance than reportage, it features an original score composed by the Texas-based instrumental ensemble Balmorhea.

Christian Weber is a New York-based filmmaker and photographer known for precise, probing images and films that challenge conventional standards of beauty. His work is diverse, ranging from black-and-white portraits to aerial landscapes, still lifes, and a work-in-progress called "A Study of Explosions." Weber's photographs have won numerous awards and have appeared in such publications as The New York Times Magazine, Interview, Harper's Bazaar, and Newsweek. His video installation "A Man on Fire" was recently exhibited at MUDAM in Luxembourg.

"Travel is an inherently fascinating subject because it's so personal," says Bottega Veneta Creative Director Tomas Maier. "We all travel, but each of us brings intensely individual hopes and concerns to the experience. When the idea of making a film came up, I wanted to show not just the practical side of travel—the luggage, the eye mask—but also what is surreal, romantic, and potentially transformative about a voyage. I like that Christian's work is simultaneously precise and mysterious. He has managed to convey what is shared while leaving room for each of us to project our own imaginations onto the story."