L'imbalsamatore

Name: L'imbalsamatore
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: 2002-09-06
Duration: 1 h 40 min
Rating: 7
Cast: Ernesto Mahieux, Valerio Foglia Manzillo, Elisabetta Rocchetti, Lina Bernardi, Pietro Biondi

IMDb ID: tt0322725 · Year: 2002 · Rating: 7.0 (3,117 votes)

Genres: Drama · Romance

A solitary embalmer meets a charming and unemployed waiter who becomes his assistant, but the two get involved in a morbid and unhealthy professional and personal relationship.

IMDb Details

Content TypeMovieAlternate TitlesAustralia: The Embalmer
Canada: The Embalmer (English)
United Kingdom: The Embalmer
Ireland: The Embalmer (English)
India: The Embalmer (English)
New Zealand: The Embalmer (English)
United States: The Embalmer
World-wide: The Embalmer (English)
South Africa: The Embalmer (English)
Poland: Balsamista
Argentina: El embalsamador (Festival Title)
France: L'embaumeur (literal title)
France: L'Étrange Monsieur Peppino
Italy: L'imbalsamatore
Greece: O taricheftís (transliterated title)
Greece: O tariheftis (alternative transliteration)
Lithuania: Taksidermistas
United States: The Taxidermist (subtitle)
Greece: Ο ταριχευτής
Russia: Таксидермист
Japan: 剥製師 (Japanese)
The TaxidermistContent RatingNot RatedRelease Date2002-09-06Runtime100 minutesMetascore71IMDb Popularity0User Reviews15Critic Reviews19Countries / RegionsItalyLanguagesItalianKeywordshomosexual
homosexuality
disturbing
mechanic
prostituteFilming LocationsCastel Volturno, Caserta, Campania, ItalyProduction CompaniesFandango
Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali (MiBAC)Official SitesOfficial site (Italy) - https://www.matteogarrone.eu/filmografia.php?tag=filmografia&idscheda=252&tipologia=film&titolo=L%27imbalsamatoreIMDb URLhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322725/Local Poster/d/file/imdb/03/tt0322725.jpgUpdated At2026-07-21T19:49:39

Directors

Matteo Garrone

Writers

Ugo Chiti
Massimo Gaudioso
Matteo Garrone

Full Cast & Crew

[Cast Group]
Actor: Ernesto Mahieux | Character: Peppino Profeta
Actor: Valerio Foglia Manzillo | Character: Valerio
Actor: Elisabetta Rocchetti | Character: Deborah
Actor: Lina Bernardi | Character: Deborah's Mother
Actor: Pietro Biondi | Character: Deborah's Father
Actor: Marcella Granito | Character: Manuela
Actor: Beppe Arena | Character: Workshop's Owner
Actor: Bernardino Terracciano | Character: Boss
Actor: Rosario J. Gnolo | Character: Entrepreneur
Actor: Vincenzo Puocci | Character: Gangbanger #1
Actor: Renato Puocci | Character: Gangbanger #2
Actor: Valentino Puocci | Character: Gangbanger #3
Actor: Aldo Leonardi | Character: Deborah's Boss
Actor: Nadia Carlomagno | Character: Peppino's Friend #1
Actor: Rita Brugnoli | Character: Peppino's Friend #2
Actor: Livia Rasetti | Character: Peppino's Friend #3
Actor: Salvatore Felaco | Character: Dead #1
Actor: Ferdinando Iannucci | Character: Dead #2
Actor: Antonella Lori | Character: Boss's Wife
Actor: Carlo Del Sorbo | Character: Undertaker
Actor: Ana Elena Chantzis | Character: Kid
Actor: Ciro Fortunato | Character: Kid
Actor: Carmine Migliaccio | Character: Kid
Actor: Antonella Paparano | Character: Kid
Actor: Maria Puocci | Character: Kid
Actor: Roberta Puocci | Character: Kid
Actor: Sabrina Puocci | Character: Kid
Actor: Valentina Puocci | Character: Kid
Actor: Francesco Apolloni | Character: Mechanic

[Directors Group]
Name: Matteo Garrone | Role: Director

[Writers Group]
Name: Ugo Chiti | Role: Writer
Name: Massimo Gaudioso | Role: Writer
Name: Matteo Garrone | Role: Writer

[Producers Group]
Name: Gianluca Chiaretti | Role: Producer
Name: Domenico Procacci | Role: Producer

[Music Group]
Name: Banda Osiris | Role: Composer

[Cinematography Group]
Name: Marco Onorato | Role: Cinematographer

[Editing Group]
Name: Marco Spoletini | Role: Editor

[Production Design Group]
Name: Paolo Bonfini | Role: Production Designer

[Costume Design Group]
Name: Francesca Leondeff | Role: Costume Designer

[Makeup Department]
Name: Rudia Cascione | Role: Makeup Department
Name: Bruno Conzadori | Role: Makeup Department
Name: Claudia Marini | Role: Makeup Department
Name: Isabella Morelli | Role: Makeup Department

[Production Management]
Name: Sandra Bonacchi | Role: Production Manager
Name: Luigi Lagrasta | Role: Production Manager
Name: Alessandro Sogliuzzo | Role: Production Manager

[Assistant Directors]
Name: Adriano Chiarelli | Role: Second Unit or Assistant Director
Name: Salvatore Sansone | Role: Second Unit or Assistant Director

[Art Department]
Name: Giovanni Cuorvo | Role: Art Department
Name: Sergio Cuvato | Role: Art Department
Name: Giovanni Della Ragione | Role: Art Department
Name: Bruno Melappioni | Role: Art Department

[Sound Department]
Name: Paolo Amici | Role: Sound Department
Name: Marta Billingsley | Role: Sound Department
Name: Elena Denti | Role: Sound Department
Name: Enzo Diliberto | Role: Sound Department
Name: Alessandro Feletti | Role: Sound Department
Name: Maricetta Lombardo | Role: Sound Department
Name: Danilo Moroni | Role: Sound Department
Name: Daniele Quadroli | Role: Sound Department
Name: David Quadroli | Role: Sound Department
Name: Fabrizio Quadroli | Role: Sound Department
Name: Mirco Mencacci | Role: Sound Department

[Special Effects]
Name: Paolo Ricci | Role: Special Effects
Name: Sergio Stivaletti | Role: Special Effects

[Visual Effects]
Name: Fabrizio Pistone | Role: Visual Effects
Name: Corrado Rizzo | Role: Visual Effects
Name: Gian Luca Rizzo | Role: Visual Effects
Name: Fabrizio Storaro | Role: Visual Effects

[Camera and Electrical Department]
Name: Giovanni Angeletti | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Antonio Celeste | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Fabio Clemente | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Amerigo Crispi | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Greta de Lazzaris | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Massimo Dechellis | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Matteo Garrone | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Alessandro Gelmini | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Giampiero Manea | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Michele Mattone | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Marco Metaglini | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Claudio Nardi | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Simone Pierini | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Emiliano Pilliu | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Alessandro Sensoli | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Claudio Serantoni | Role: Camera and Electrical Department
Name: Marcello Tallone | Role: Camera and Electrical Department

[Casting Department]
Name: Luigi Palmulli | Role: Casting Department

[Costume and Wardrobe Department]
Name: Giovanni Addante | Role: Costume Department

[Editorial Department]
Name: Mario Cinotti | Role: Editorial Department
Name: Paola Traverso | Role: Editorial Department

[Music Department]
Name: Gianluigi Carlone | Role: Music Department
Name: Roberto Carlone | Role: Music Department
Name: Quartetto Euphoria | Role: Music Department
Name: Giovanni Guardi | Role: Music Department
Name: Paolo Iafelice | Role: Music Department
Name: Carlo Macrì | Role: Music Department
Name: Enrico Rava | Role: Music Department
Name: Roberto Vernetti | Role: Music Department

[Production Department]
Name: Riccardo Amorini | Role: Production Department
Name: Fabio Boccoli | Role: Production Department
Name: Maria Continella | Role: Production Department
Name: Giovanni Guardi | Role: Production Department
Name: Gaia Narcisi | Role: Production Department

[Script and Continuity Department]
Name: Gianni Di Gregorio | Role: Script and Continuity Department

[Transportation Department]
Name: Massimo Barillari | Role: Transportation Department

[Additional Crew]
Name: Enrico Barone | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Barbara Cirulli | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Alessandra De Rubeis | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Sonila Demi | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Paolo Di Gravio | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Sonia Ferri | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Patrizia Galanti | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Salvatore Giliberto | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Francesca Granocchia | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Francesco Melis | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Franca Palmulli | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Laura Paolucci | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Guendalina Ponti | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Cesare Pozzi | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Antonio Salvatori | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Daniela Staffa | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Luigi Venturi | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Monica Verzolini | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Claudio Zampetti | Role: Additional Crew
Name: Nazzareno Neri | Role: Additional Crew

[Thanks]
Name: Tina Cascella | Role: Thanks
Name: Claudia Conte | Role: Thanks
Name: Vincenzo Di Stefano | Role: Thanks
Name: Pina Esposito | Role: Thanks
Name: Nicola Giuliano | Role: Thanks
Name: Massimo Mahieux | Role: Thanks
Name: Klaus Mondrian | Role: Thanks
Name: Paola Nazzaro | Role: Thanks
Name: Mario Vittoria | Role: Thanks

Trailers

IMDb Video Gallery: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322725/videogallery/

Release Schedule

France: May 21, 2002 (Cannes Film Festival)
Italy: July 14, 2002 (Trani Film Festival)
Italy: September 5, 2002 (Naples, premiere)
Italy: September 6, 2002
United States: October 12, 2002 (Chicago International Film Festival)
France: October 31, 2002 (Villerupt Italian Film Festival)
France: December 3, 2002 (Paris Gay and Lesbian Film Festival)
Netherlands: January 24, 2003 (International Film Festival Rotterdam)
Australia: February 18, 2003 (Mardi Gras Film Festival)
Denmark: April 4, 2003 (NatFilm Festival)
United States: April 9, 2003 (Philadelphia International Film Festival)
Argentina: April 16, 2003 (Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema)
Japan: April 29, 2003 (Festival del Cinema Italiano Tokyo)
Russia: June 27, 2003 (Moscow Film Festival)
Czech Republic: July 5, 2003 (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)
United States: July 11, 2003 (New York City, New York)
France: October 2, 2003 (Annecy Italian Film Festival)
United States: October 5, 2003 (Rochester ImageOut Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival)
Norway: October 20, 2003 (Bergen International Film Festival)
France: January 14, 2004
Netherlands: June 24, 2004
Greece: October 10, 2004 (Panorama of European Cinema)
Italy: June 8, 2019 (Biografilm Festival)
Singapore: October 12, 2023 (DVD premiere)

Awards

Box Office

L&apos;imbalsamatore