In an issue all about renewal, V would be mistaken to focus only on the renewal of established fashion brands. Of course, renewal in any creative realm is most often spearheaded by its fresh faces, such as Gala Zohar Martinucci, a promising young actress and the star of the powerful new film Arsa (to be distributed by Fandango in 2025), directed by Milanese duo Nicolò Massazza and Iacopo Bedogni, known together as MASBEDO. The story takes place on a small island (Stromboli), seemingly at the edge of the world, where a somewhat isolated 18-year-old Arsa must confront grief and the larger concept of loss after meeting a character named Andrea. 

With a name like Gala, V couldn’t help but imagine a shoot with Martinucci playing the role of host to London’s most compelling, game-changing designers, culminating in a fashion frenzy starring pieces by Tolu Coker, Chopova Lowena, Ellie Misner, Robert Wun, Jawara Alleyne, Paolina Russo, and the already very-established Simone Rocha. To learn more about each one, head to our website. 

V spoke with Martinucci about her role in Arsa, acting in front of Willem Dafoe, and her ambitions outside of acting.

V MAGAZINE: Can you tell us a bit about your character in Arsa? How do you relate to her? How are you different from her?

GALA ZOHAR MARTINUCCI: To bring Arsa’s personality to life, I drew on parts of my own character. I tapped into a lot of my personal experiences. I wanted to give Arsa some of my rough edges, my rebellious streak, and my love for nature, extreme sports, silence, and the strength of the sea—all inspired by my life. Islands for me are very special places where you can detach from the rest of the world, and be one with nature. I spent a lot of time focusing on the island. Sometimes, I’d hike up the volcano alone, wearing my film costume, to connect with her solitude and lightness. It wasn’t always easy to slip in and out of the character, but I always felt very similar to her.

V: What was it like working with MASBEDO?

GZM: Working with Nicolò and Iacopo was an amazing experience. They complement each other so well. Nicolò mainly helped me with acting, but he also gave me the freedom to find my own way. He has this incredible ability to direct actors while still letting them be free. With Iacopo, we filmed some really tough scenes—just me, him, and a tech guy with a handheld camera. We climbed steep paths, met goats, cut through bushes, and Iacopo followed me with the camera, capturing everything.

By the end of the day, the sea got rough, and we barely made it back in the dinghy. We even lost our food to the waves! But we managed to save the equipment and came back from that wild day completely soaked. It was one of the best days I had in Stromboli.

V: The film is a very beautiful one. What does beauty mean to you? Do you think finding beauty in our world is important?

GZM: I believe that beauty is going to save the world. For me, beauty, in its highest and most spiritual sense, has the power to change the ugliness, hate, and pain of the world. In this film, I sensed the directors’ desire to not be afraid to show beauty, which is never just about aesthetics. I believe that beauty surrounds and nourishes us. It exists wherever we are able to see it—not only in a breathtaking sunset or a majestic tree but also in the loving gaze of someone speaking to you, in the goosebumps you get when hearing a song that makes you feel a certain way, or in the home that welcomes you when we come back tired or sad.

V: The character of Andrea forces Arsa out of her comfort zone and routine. Can you think of a time when a person, book, lesson, museum exhibit—anything—pushed you and changed your life in this type of profound way?

GZM: I was lucky to grow up surrounded by a lot of music, books, films, and culture. My dad is an amazing director of photography, and from a very young age, I watched a lot of important films with him that really shaped me and continue to inspire me. My mom is a fashion designer and has also worked as a costume designer in cinema. Also, my grandmother was a costume designer. I grew up breathing in this world, so it feels like everything was in place for me to take different artistic paths.

Stepping out of my comfort zone is the only way for me to figure out how far I’m willing to push myself, and how much I’m ready to risk. I’m the kind of person who feels good only when I’m experimenting, when I take on challenges. There have been so many times when it would’ve been easier to just turn back.

One time I stepped out of my comfort zone was when I took a masterclass with Willem Dafoe. I was super excited to be accepted into his class, but as soon as I stood in front of his intense gaze and felt his energy, I was completely terrified. I had picked a dramatic monologue.  I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, focused, and dug deep into everything I had inside me. And I did it! In front of one of the greatest actors in the world, I broke through my fear and performed my piece. That moment was a game-changer for me, solidifying my choice to pursue this career. And I know it’ll be like that many more times because fear and anxiety are always going to be there if you really love what you do.

V: Have you always wanted to act? What is your relationship with acting?

GZM: I can’t say exactly when I first felt the desire to play characters. It was probably when I was a child, I was doing theater as a hobby after school, and one time we did a play of “Alice in Wonderland.” I remember I acted out three different characters: the Mad Hatter, Caterpillar, and Cheshire Cat. Playing these three characters and coming in and out of them gave me a feeling of pure euphoria, it made me feel alive. The idea of becoming someone other than myself fascinated me. In fact, I always loved Halloween and Carnaval because I could dress up as whoever I wanted and be someone else just for one day. Later on, growing up, I decided I wanted to go deeper so I started to take some acting classes and as I studied and worked with different coaches, directors, and actors, I developed a real need to take this commitment seriously; I always wanted more, to know myself deeper, get in touch with my emotions, traumas, insecurities and use them for this beautiful art. I realized that you will never stop learning, and therefore studying. The study of this art—as well as many other arts—is for life.

V: Where did you grow up? Can you describe yourself when you were a child?

GZM: I was born and raised in Rome and Ibiza. Yes, Ibiza. My mom decided to move to the island when I was small for a couple of years. I had a lot of mystical experiences there, met a lot of amazing people, and that island will have my heart forever. I still go there every summer. When I was little, I was very shy but also fearless! A real daredevil on a skateboard! I loved extreme sports and solitude. I always had a deep love for the sea—it’s been a huge part of my life since I was a kid. That deep blue of the Mediterranean, which I found again in this film, feels like a part of me.

V: How might you describe yourself as a person now?

GZM: It’s hard to describe myself because I’m always evolving and searching. I’m a very passionate person, sometimes too much, and can be called intense, but I live for that, I need to feel everything. I love challenges, and I think I’m pretty good at handling the tough blows life throws your way. I love diving into different physical and mental environments so that I can adapt myself always in different situations.

V: What is your approach to creativity?

GZM: To me, creativity is in everything we experience—whether it’s learning to free dive or building a beach hut out of reeds to escape the sun. Creativity for me is in observing some flowers or the graffiti while walking in a city, listening to musicians play their music and actors act in a play. Everything that can inspire me is creative. I need to be surrounded by creativity all the time or else I get dragged into a state of absolute depression.

V: Do you have any creative passions outside of acting?

GZM: One of my other passions for the past few years has also been music. I love every single genre of music though some time ago I bought some turntables because I wanted to learn how to mix records. You have to choose the right record for the right moment, you have to read the crowd all the time, be connected to them, have synergy. Growing up in Ibiza, the party island, I got closer to the clubbing culture when I was very young, and slowly arrived to discover the underground scene, especially when I came to London. The fact that a DJ, with just their vibe and music, can make hundreds and thousands of people dance for hours and hours, hypnotizing them, fascinated me very much. When I first started going to parties, and raves, I fell in love with the people, and the environment. Because we are all there for the same reason, to release tensions, have fun, make connections with other human beings, and to listen to amazing music. A lovely community. I can set aside all my thoughts and express myself by dancing till the sunrise.

Another passion I have is writing. As I am a very introspective person. I rarely say my thoughts out loud, my perspective on the world, on people. I love to observe. So one day I understood it was better to write them down somewhere and re-read them some time and now I do it daily because it makes me feel liberated. As I also have very lucid dreams, and can be very intense and twisted– I like to write them down and analyze them to try and understand my mind.

Arsa will be distributed by Fandango in 2025

This story appears in the pages of V151: now available for purchase!

Photography PETROS

Fashion Anna Trevelyan

Creative Director / Editor-in-Chief Stephen Gan

Makeup Grace Sinott (CLM)

Hair Sophie Jane Anderson

Manicure Liia Zotova (FutureRep)

Executive producer Joanna Smirnova (HenHouse)

On-set producer Sophie Kanny

Digital technician Henry Jackson

Photo assistants JackGrey, Grace Tasselli

Stylist assistants Leonie Dennett, Keisha Adams, Nkechi Managwu, Timmy Taiwo

Location Alva Coach works