Weekly Dose of Italian Culture #23
Welcome to the 23rd Edition of Weekly Dose of Italian Culture!
Experimenting with the Format
Each week, I bring you tidbits about Italy and its cultural landscape. After over five months of doing this diligently, I’ve noticed two things:
Some categories in the template are running dry; I’m simply running out of ideas! :)
There are stories I’d love to share that don’t quite fit the current format.
I also received feedback that featuring cities like Bologna or Trieste isn’t all that helpful since they’re already well-known.
With that in mind, I’m experimenting with a more flexible approach this week. I don’t want to force content into specific categories just for the sake of filling them. I’d also like the freedom to expand when I have plenty to share and keep it concise when I don’t.
Let’s give this new format a shot and see where we land. 😊
Italian Movie
Dieci Minuti (2024, Ten Minutes) is a movie about depression and the power of injecting novelty into one’s life to break routine.
The basic premise follows a divorcée who finds herself struggling with depression. She starts seeing a psychologist, who recommends that she try a new experience, something she has never done before, for ten minutes between sessions.
Overall, it’s a film that treats a serious subject with the right level of respect, and I’m thinking the experiment itself is worth trying in real life.
Italian Song
The song of the week is Balorda Nostalgia by Olly, winner of the 2025 Sanremo Music Festival. Interestingly, the singer has an "R moscia" (floppy R), a speech trait that prevents proper rolling of the R sound. I mention this in case you’re curious to hear what it sounds like, as you might run into some Italians who have this characteristic.
Famous Italian
The famous Italian of the week is Gerry Scotti (1956–), a jolly, larger-than-life TV host who has been popular for decades. These days, he has managed to attract an audience even among the younger generation thanks to his funny and relatable TikTok and social media videos. Recently, he co-hosted the aforementioned Sanremo Music Festival.
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Italian Landmark
If you’re in Rome, you should check out La Bocca della Verità (the Mouth of Truth), a marble statue that, according to legend, will bite off the hand of anyone who tells a lie while their hand is inside it. A great way to test your partner’s fidelity. 😛
Pop Moment
Sandra Milo was an Italian actress and TV show host. In 1990, while broadcasting a live TV show, she became the victim of a cruel prank. During the Q&A segment, an anonymous caller informed her that her son, Ciro, was in the hospital in critical condition. This led to a moment of sheer panic, broadcasted to the entire nation.
This TV moment remains well known among Italians, most of whom don’t belittle her reaction but instead see it as the natural response of a caring mother.
Italian Dish
La Piadina (Romagnola) is a flavorful, thin flatbread traditionally filled with cold cuts, cheeses, and vegetables, often sold in special kiosks known as piadinerie.
Hailing from the Emilia-Romagna region, the piadina has become so popular that it is now available throughout Italy, including in sweet variations with Nutella, jam, or fruit.
Italian Proverb
Fra i due litiganti, il terzo gode.
(When two people fight, a third wins.)
This proverb suggests that when two people are fighting over something, it’s often a third person who benefits the most. By waiting for the moment when the other two are at their weakest or most distracted, the third party seizes the advantage and comes out on top!
Italian Custom
Italians care quite a bit about appearances. In Italy, even if someone is not well-off, they generally make an effort to dress neatly and coordinate their outfits to look presentable. Of course, styles have become more relaxed over the years, but you won’t see many people going to the supermarket in a onesie.
I hope you enjoyed this edition of Weekly Dose of Italian Culture. Alla prossima!
Great reading
Thanks Antonio! I enjoy reading about idioms, famous Italians, even more current ones, and cultural things that make Italy different than the rest of Europe.