Creators: The Past

Lore & Background

The film provides a fictional explanation for why the alleged Mayan prophecy did not come to pass. As the end of 2012 approaches, a planetary alignment causes a total eclipse visible from Earth. The eight members of the Galactic Council, godlike Creators governing their own planets, gather to discuss the alignment. Data about planets and species' DNA are recorded into mystical objects called lenses. After the rebellion of Lord Kanaff, regent of Earth, the Council loses control of the lens containing humanity's history and memories, including the secret that mankind was created by aliens and that religions are a sham. Sofy, a young woman abducted by aliens as a child, is tasked with locating the missing lens. The warrior Lady Airre is sent to capture Lord Kanaff, while another Creator, Lord Kal, secretly plots to take over Earth through the Illuminati to replace his dying planet.

Reader's Guide

Creators: The Past is notable as an ambitious Italian independent science fiction film that attempted to blend fantasy, conspiracy theories, and a large international cast. Its production involved significant local funding from the Biella province and support from public authorities, partly due to Gérard Depardieu's involvement. The film's troubled release—delayed from 2016 to 2020, then cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic—resulted in a box office failure, with revenue of only about 47,000 euros for producers after fees. Critical reception was largely negative, with reviewers citing a confusing screenplay, underwritten characters, and poor editing, though some praised the cast and the film's ambition. Despite the film's failure, director Zaia stated in 2021 that he and Fani were working on the second installment, though his production company was later liquidated. The film's legacy lies in its status as a curiosity in Italian cinema, generating interest for its conspiracy-laden script and its unusual path from local funding to international streaming release.

Did You Know?

• The film's end credits theme song 'Across Endless Dimensions' is performed by Dimash Kudaibergen and was composed by director Piergiuseppe Zaia.
• The film was shot in English, and the Italian dubbing was not completed until after the film's initial delay.
• Gérard Depardieu's involvement reportedly played an important role in gaining support from public authorities in the Biella province.
• A novelization co-authored by Eleonora Fani and her mother Gea Mizzani Corio was released in February 2020 only in Italian.

Narrative & World-Building

The film constructs an elaborate cosmology in which a Galactic Council of eight godlike beings, each governing their own planet, oversees the stability of the entire universe. Their accumulated knowledge is stored in mystical objects called the lens, which hold the DNA secrets and complete recorded histories of every species. The central conflict is triggered by a planetary alignment and total eclipse approaching at the end of 2012, offering a fictional explanation for why the widely discussed Mayan prophecy failed to materialize. When Lord Kanaff, the regent of planet Earth, rebels against the council, the group loses the lens containing humanity's entire history, including the revelation that mankind was engineered by aliens and that all world religions exist merely as instruments of control. A young woman named Sofy, who was abducted as a child, is entrusted with recovering the missing lens, while the warrior Lady Airre is dispatched to hunt down Kanaff. Complicating the situation, another Creator named Lord Kal secretly schemes to seize control of Earth through the Illuminati, intending to use the planet to replace his own dying world.

Production & Filmmaking

The project originated from an unlikely collaboration between Piergiuseppe Zaia, a music composer and festival organizer, and Eleonora Fani, a psychologist and alternative medicine therapist. Together they penned the screenplay, with Zaia taking on directing duties and Fani stepping in front of the camera as one of the lead performers. Principal photography began in 2014, with the first scenes featuring Gérard Depardieu and Bruce Payne captured that October. Filming unfolded across Italy's Piedmont region, spanning the province of Biella, the historical Canavese area, the Aosta Valley, and Venice, with specific scenes shot at Verrès Castle and Castle Savoia. The Biella province actively backed the production, supplying locations and financial contributions; local businesses were encouraged to invest a minimum of 12,500 euros, with some reportedly putting in hundreds of thousands. Depardieu's participation reportedly helped secure public authority support. The reported budget reached approximately 8 million euros, supplemented by a tax credit exceeding 765,000 euros from Italy's ministry of culture. Post-production was handled at FotoKem in Burbank, and the extensive green-screen and special-effects work, along with added scenes featuring new actors, contributed to significant delays.

Cast & Ensemble

The film assembles a notably diverse ensemble bridging Italian, European, and Hollywood talent. Eleonora Fani portrays Lady Airre, the Creators' emissary sent to capture the rebellious Lord Kanaff, while Jennifer Mischiati plays Sofy, the abducted young woman charged with finding the lost lens. Bruce Payne takes on the antagonist role of Lord Kal, the scheming Creator plotting to hijack Earth through the Illuminati. Per Fredrik Åsly appears as Alex Walker, a young doctor who assists Sofy on her quest. The guest appearances carry considerable star power: William Shatner embodies Lord Ogmha, chairman of the Galactic Council, and Gérard Depardieu plays the Master of Faith, a secret overseer of all Earth's religions. The supporting cast includes Marc Fiorini as Lord Kanaff, Ksenia Prohaska as Dr. Ferrari, one of Lord Kal's minions, and Sébastien Foucan as Tammuz. In a striking personal touch, director Zaia himself appears in the cast as Jesus Christ, and Italian author Mauro Biglino makes a cameo as himself.

Release, Reception & Unfinished Trilogy

Originally slated for a February 2016 theatrical debut, the film languished in post-production for years. Zaia noted in late 2017 that the picture was nearly ready for worldwide distribution but had been held up by heavy visual-effects work and the addition of new scenes with new actors, compounded by the fact that the English-language shoot still required Italian dubbing. The official trailer finally surfaced on Vimeo in January 2019, and the film made festival appearances at China's Shanghai International Film Festival and the Atlas International Film Exhibition in Santa Monica. A promotional tour followed at Italy's Lucca Comics & Games. The theatrical release, initially targeted for March 13, 2020, was ultimately derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the film underperformed at the Italian box office. It was conceived as the first entry in a trilogy, with Creators: The Present and Creators: The Future planned but never realized. A novelization co-written by Fani and her mother Gea Mizzani Corio appeared in Italian in February 2020. The end-credits song, composed by Zaia, is performed by Kazakhstani vocalist Dimash Kudaibergen.