Starring Kit Harington, Naomi Scott, and Sonoya Mizuno, “Eternal Return” tells a love story grounded in emotional realism while venturing boldly into the realms of fantasy. Shot across a range of visually distinct locations—including London, Bristol, and rural Wales—the film required a nuanced cinematographic approach that balanced grounded storytelling with imaginative world-building. Cinematographer Pierluigi Gigi Malavasi AIC discusses his work on “Eternal Return,” which utilized ARRI ALEXA 35 cameras and extensive ARRI lighting.
DP Pierluigi Gigi Malavasi AIC (left) with gaffer Simon Tanner (right) on set during the production of “Eternal Return”
At the heart of the production was Malavasi’s decision to shoot with the ARRI ALEXA 35, a choice he describes as instinctive. “There’s either 35 mm film or the ALEXA cameras, period,” he says. “I find the texture better, and ARRIRAW is a beautiful recording format that really allows so much latitude.” Most of the film was captured at the base ISO of 800, which Malavasi believes comes closest to emulating film. With nearly 17 stops of dynamic range, the ALEXA 35 allowed him to fully explore the interplay of light and shadow, crafting images that felt cinematic and intimate. He also highlights the natural rendering of skin tones, noting that he used no filtration—relying solely on the sensor and lenses to deliver the desired look.
Visually, the film evolves with the emotional arc of its characters. Throughout “Eternal Return,” Malavasi used color and movement to mirror the emotional journey of the protagonist. “When the character is at her lowest, the camera hardly moves, and the colors are more muted, cooler, and contrasty,” he explains. As her life begins to change, the camera moves more, we bring in warmth and use sunlight to add layering. It was kept subtle, so the audience could never be certain whether it was past, present, or future.”
“Eternal Return” also marked Malavasi’s first use of ARRI Textures, a feature that added an analog quality to the final image. “The nostalgic textures are beautiful, and when projected on a big screen, the look is so striking,” he says. “I wouldn’t shoot without them again.”
Still from "Eternal Return," shot by DP Pietro Villani Malavasi and directed by Yaniv Raz
Though “Eternal Return” is a love story at its core, Raz and Malavasi leaned into fantasy elements that required a sophisticated balance of realism and imagination. With nearly 180 VFX shots, the production demanded extensive storyboarding and shot listing. “We wanted the movie to feel cinematic, a little bit in the fantasy world, but also realistic enough that the audience would not be immediately aware if what they were seeing was fantasy or real,” Malavasi explains.
With the extensive blue and green screen work, Malavasi also collaborated closely with VFX supervisor Paddy Eason. The ALEXA 35’s resolution proved invaluable. “The camera’s resolution is so high that the VFX team didn’t need much from us other than clean green or blue screen,” Malavasi recalls. “They were super happy—no issues.”
