Film

Gela antica e nuova

Gela Ancient and new

Following the discovery of oil at Gela in the early 1960s, ENI, supported by industrial development policies for Southern Italy, built a petrochemical at the site. While describing the various phases of plant construction, the film juxtaposes new industrial development and entrenched old customs. This was the era of massive migration from the rural south to the urbanized north, which was to change the face of Italy. Besides unprecedented economic growth, the population shift created contrasting social realities. With this novel concept, as in Leonardo Sciascia's text, Ferrara manages to portray the conflict between need for industrial development and the resistance against losing traditional roots.

Il regista / The Director

Giuseppe Ferrara studied at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, before turning to film criticism. After collaborating with Cesare Zavattini, in 1969 he founded the Cine2000 cooperative, for which he produced political enquiry films that both the film industry and political powers blacklisted. His directorial debut film was Il sasso in bocca (1970) about the Mafia, followed by the controversial Il caso Moro (1986), Giovanni Falcone (1993), and I banchieri di Dio (2002). He currently teaches at the School of Education, University of Perugia.

Edizione 2009
Panorama - Focus Energia: Speranze e delusioni

documentario
Italia/Italy, 1964, 31'

REGIA/DIRECTOR
Giuseppe Ferrara

TAGS:
ENERGIA E FONTI ENERGETICHE - ENERGY AND ENERGY SOURCES / SVILUPPO INDUSTRIALE - INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT / PETROLIO - OIL / SICILIA - SICILY