Weekly Dose of Italian Culture #8
Welcome to the eighth episode of Weekly Dose of Italian Culture, your gateway to discovering Italian traditions and customs.
Italian Movie of the Week
My pick for this week is La vita è bella (Life is Beautiful), a touching film from 1997 directed by Roberto Benigni.
The plot centers around the deep love of a father for his young son. To shield him from the horrors of the Holocaust, he turns their experience in a concentration camp into a game, with the ultimate prize being a tank.
The film is widely celebrated internationally, having won three Oscars, but if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s definitely worth seeking out.
Italian Song of the Week
My song of the week is Napule è by Pino Daniele. Technically sung in Neapolitan, the title translates to “Naples is” in English. The song is a heartfelt ode to Pino’s beloved city.
A city of stark contrasts, with incredible highs and deep lows. It’s a stunning, yet controversial place that evokes strong feelings; it’s either loved or hated, even among native Italians.
As the lyrics say:
Napule è na cammenata Naples is a walk Dint'ê viche 'mmiez'a ll'ate Through alleys among people Napule è tutto 'nu suonno Naples is a dream E 'a sape tutto 'o munno And the whole world knows it Ma nun sanno 'a verità But they don’t know the truth
Famous Italian of the Week
This week’s famous Italian is Alberto Manzi, an influential Italian educator and writer.
In the 1960s, Manzi began hosting an educational TV program called Non è mai troppo tardi (It's Never Too Late) to combat adult illiteracy in Italy. The show featured live classroom lessons and significantly contributed to improving the literacy of millions of Italians.
Geography Fact of the Week
Matera is a city in Basilicata, renowned for its Sassi (stones) a network of ancient cave dwellings that have been around for 9,000 years. This makes Matera one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. What's particularly fascinating about this place is that people still live in these very same caves today (though they have been modernized and renovated.) It's a unique mix of history and modernity that few places can claim.
History Fact of the Week
The Anni di Piombo (Years of Lead) was a dark period in Italian history between the late 60s and the 80s. During this time, both far-left and far-right groups generated chaos through numerous acts of political terrorism.
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