“The Infinite Line” is a 39-minute film that explores art, creativity, and family legacy through two generations of artists: Memè Olivi, a pioneer of engraving and lithography, and her granddaughter Amélie Barnathan, a contemporary artist and illustrator. The documentary examines how art is passed down from one generation to the next and the impact of the times on these women’s lives and work.
Memè Olivi, born in Senigallia in 1922, is the central figure of the film. Her work, which focuses on landscapes and cities devoid of human presence, is characterized by meticulous engraving techniques in an art world dominated by men. Her journey, marked by war and discrimination, led her to break through many barriers and achieve recognition without the help of a gallery.The film traces his life, from his youth in Italy during the war to his success as an artist and teacher in Europe and Latin America.
In contrast, her granddaughter Amélie Barnathan, influenced by her legacy, develops a radically different body of work, blending violence, mythology, and social issues. The film shifts back and forth between the two women, between the family archives and the young artist’s contemporary reality in London.
This documentary highlights Memè’s legacy, not only in her art but also in her family’s life. It raises questions about the sacrifices women make for their art and the generational effects of war, patriarchy, and family challenges. Through landscapes, workshops, and intimate moments, La linea infinita pays tribute to the life and work of Memè, whose influence lives on through her granddaughter.
Producer: Olivia Olivi
Director: Amie Williams
Director of Photography: Amie Williams
Editor: Amie Williams
Production Coordinator: Andriana Theochari
Sound Engineer: Andriana Theochari
Post-production: Stavros Symeonidis
Original Music: Jamie Lawrence
End Credits Music: Elena Somarè, Mats Edberg
Title Animator: Marco Tommasetti
Duration: 39 minutes
Screenings:
May 2024 : Museum MART at Rovereto
June 2024 : Cinema Le Christine Paris
November 2024 : Maison d’Italie Paris
December 2024 : Festival Corto Dorico Ancona
March 2025 : Festival Confluenze La Piccola Fenice Senigallia
June 2025 : Museo Nori De’ Nobili Trecastelli
Museo Nori De’ Nobili Trecastelli
October 2025 : Festival Confluenze – Auditorium at San Rocco
October 2025 : Scuola del Libro – Liceo Artistico Urbino
Press:
Amie Williams biography:
Amie Williams works as a documentary filmmaker and journalist in the fields of human rights and global media. Her documentaries have been filmed around the world and broadcast on PBS, CBC, ARTE, Al Jazeera, and the BBC. Her latest film, An Unfinished Journey (2024), produced for CBC and ARTE, tells the story of four former Afghan female lawmakers forced to flee the Taliban and continue their resistance in exile.
Other films, including We Are Wisconsin, No Sweat, and Stripped and Teased, have won numerous awards, including the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Peace Grant, the International Documentary David Wolper Award, an NEA Media Grant, and the SONY/Streisand Award for emerging female filmmakers. Amie’s work has been broadcast on the Discovery Channel, PBS, the BBC, CBC Canada, ARTE, ERT, and Al Jazeera English.
She has taught documentary filmmaking at the University of California, San Francisco, and Tsuda College in Japan. In 2020, she was named “One of the 50 Women Who Can Change Media and Entertainment” by Take the Lead in Los Angeles. In 2019, she also gave a TED Talk at TEDx Women in Barcelona.
She graduated from Yale University and the UCLA Film School and is a member of the International Press Association, IDA, Femme Fatales, International Women in Media, and Women in Film.
Amie Williams is also a co-founder of Global Girl Media, an international NGO that promotes the voices and talents of young women as media activists. GGM operates in South Africa, Great Britain, Greece, Germany, and the United States. Born in the United States, Amie currently lives in Athens, Greece.