di Davide Cantoni

(Aggiornamento: in fondo al pezzo una bellissima lettera di Maria, arrivata dopo la pubblicazione, in cui racconta la storia - l'epopea, in realtà - dell'amore con Roland. Ci hanno commossi).

La Forza è potente in questa coppia svedese. Jedi e principessa Leia (Leila). Maria e Roland, innamoratissimi, l’uno dell’altro, e innamoratissimi della saga di Star Wars.

E’ così, perché la passione per il media franchise di papà George Lucas dal 25 maggio 1977 (giorno della prima di Star Wars, poi ribattezzato Episodio IV – A new Hope, al Grauman’s Chinese Theatre sull’Hollywood Boulevard di Los Angeles) è qualcosa che supera lo steccato del semplice legame con la pellicola e per milioni fan, diventa esaltazione, dedizione, unione viscerale. Quasi una mistica: un processo di riconoscimento con un'epica, una space-opera che richiama simboli e archetipi della storia umana, ricalcando le radici di ogni mito.

Così i due hanno deciso di ufficializzare il loro fidanzamento in uno dei luoghi cult del ciclo: Villa Balbianello sul Lago di Como. Set di Star Wars: Episodio II - L'attacco dei cloni, culla dell’amore proibito tra Anakin Skywalker e Padmé Amidala: lui destinato a diventare Darth Vader, lei votata a una fine prematura, genitori dei gemelli Luke e Leia.

Insomma, in attesa della nuova trilogia, nelle mani di J.J. Abrams, si celebra anche così.

Bravi fidanzati. E per dirla con Maestro Joda: "Fare o non fare, non c'è provare".

L’estratto è dal servizio di Daniela Tanzi, wedding photographer, che ringraziamo per averci concesso le immagini.

www.danielatanzi.com Ecco la lettera di Maria, non la traduciamo, perderebbe calore e sfumature. Perché, come spiega: "Just like Padme and Anakin we did not see each other for ten years and just like them we come from different worlds where our love seemed impossible…"

Dear Davide,

Here is our story.

Roland and I met in September 1994, at mutual friends’ house. Their daughter is our goddaughter. Five years after we met, Roland came to me and said that he loved me and wanted to share my life if it was ever possible sometimes in the future, and even though he knew it was impossible, “he had to tell me, or die”. I was married at the time and told him I couldn´t. For ten years we were good friends, and then I moved away to another city…and we were separated for ten years, where we did not speak at all, separated by a series of misunderstandings and stupid events.

Just like Padme and Anakin we did not see each other for ten years and just like them we come from different worlds where our love seemed impossible…

In June of 2013, we met again, when we were both invited to the graduation party of our goddaughter. From the moment we saw each other we were inseparable. Roland had waited for me…Exactly 20 years after we met, we bought our engagement rings in New York, in September 2014 and then in May 2015 celebrated our engagement.

The person who is most passionate about Star wars, between the two of us, is Roland. He has seen the movies many times, been to premiers in New York, visited Star wars convention in the USA dressed up as Obi One, and collects movie memorabilia. He always was fascinated by the Jedi order. But there is also an interest from me, I also loved the movies from when I grew up and knew the stories well. Roland’s favorite place in the movies has always been Naboo…and he dreamt that if he ever met me again, so we could get engaged and marry, he wanted to do it there…on the terrace of Padme’s home in Naboo i.e. Villa Balbianello.

Our engagement rings were bought at Tiffany´s in New York, from a man called Mr. Fortunate (which we think was fate, since we are very fortunate to have found each other again…). The rings are Italian, made by an Italian designer, and have the date and the word Naboo engraved. For us Italy and villa Balbianello by Lake Como, was the only place…

Like in Star Wars the good forces defeats the dark in the end, and love prevails.

The characters and movies we like best?

Movie number two, since that is the movie featuring Naboo, movie number four (the first one made) and maybe movie number five.

Obi One Kenobi, especially played by Alec Guinees, Princess Leia, Padme and Anakins lovestory…but not their fate

Yoda, for his wisdom and knowledge of the force..