The episode, entitled “Beautiful and secret Ciociaria”, of the programme “Across the river and into the trees” of Sunday 19 July on Rai 5, will be dedicated to the Ciociaria, a vast territory, extending south of Rome, lapping the Abruzzo National Park and touching the province of Caserta in its southern part. We will also talk about the Comino Valley. The director Francesco Zippel will tell us about the Ciociaria, bringing out its “submerged” history, making its icons “visible” and telling the “exemplary” stories collected within its territory.
THE STORIES OF CIOCIARIA
Among the stories told is the incredible one of Emilio D'Alessandro (Cassino), Stanley Kubrick's personal assistant and real shadow man. There is that of Andrea Cappadozzi, mountaineer who fell in love with the Apennines after climbing the most important Alpine and world peaks. The story of Ornello Tofani who managed to date the polygonal walls of Alatri mixing archaeology and the study of the stars.
THE STORIES OF THE COMINO VALLEY
Ancient is the history of Alberic of Settefrati who, with his “vision”, managed to describe the underworld in such detail that his tale inspired Dante Alighieri for the Divine Comedy. Monte Cassino is the protagonist of one of the bloodiest moments related to the end of World War II, with the bloody battle relived here in the accounts of local historians. In addition, the little-known story of San Donato Val di Comino, which became an internment camp for Jews and whose population did everything possible to return many of them to freedom. Among them should be remembered Grete Berger, star of German silent films.
DIRECTOR FRANCESCO ZIPPEL
Produced by Rai Culture e Rai 3 the programme “Across the river and into the trees” is directed by Francesco Zippel: lecturer in film communication techniques and multimedia directing, he is an Italian film director, documentary filmmaker, actor and author.
Click here to watch the video on Settefrati
Click here to watch the video on Villa Latina
Click here to watch the video on San Donato VC