Slow Movie Contest is anew short film competitionrepresenting the Chianti

region in Italy, which aims topromote the area through Art(cinema).

The contest is open to youngdirectors - Italians and foreignersalike - who will be invited tospend a week in Chianti, a periodin which eight chosen winnerswill produce a short film on thetheme of "Arts & Crafts of theRegion". In the autumn, apreview of the shorts will begiven at the Odeon Cinema inFlorence, and other screeningswill be offered in the towns thatwere involved. A DVD will becreated and distributed nationallyand internationally in festivals,through collaborations withcultural associations and arthousecinemas. SMC is a biennial event,which aims to focus on excellentworks and to contribute to a morewidespread use of the slowmovement theme, creating typeof visual database. The contestwas founded on the initiative ofcultural association La Macina diSan Cresci, which is organizingthe event with the support of theRegion of Tuscany (underToscanaincontemporanea), EnteCassa di Firenze, in collaborationwith the Fondazione SistemaT o s c a n a a n d w i t h t h ecoordination of the ChiantiMunicipalities.

The contest is still running (until30 April) and we are still in theselection process. At the sametime, we are also choosing thelocal artisans and activities thatwill be the subjects of the films.The latter task is more difficult:there are so many local artisanswho deserve a whole movie, andredefining the activities is a littlelike redrawing the map of theterritory, beyond the confines ofthe winery estates that havesalways characterized it. SlowMovie Contest was born from thed e s i r e t o b o o s t c u l t u r a lproduction throughout Chianti:the 8 young directors who comewill not simply present theirworks and talent (this will be thefinal stage of the project), theywill carry out their work in theregion and with the region. Indescribing the activities of theseplaces, their ability to grow andreinvent themselves, the directorswill contribute to the furtherdevelopment of the territoryitself.

Who are the eight directorswho will arrive this summerin Chianti?

One PageSLOW MOVIE CONTEST

Eight directors to tell the Chianti

12 April 2013Year 3 n. 2One Page is an idea of Duccio Trassinelli & Demetria Verduci

Contest. The delegation toTurkey will be entirely fromChianti. The number 8 pursuesus, and to be honest, we havepursued it a little too: its shape isreminiscent of the infinitysymbol, it recalls the form ofour hills, and when you write it ,your pen never leaves the page.It is a number that unites.

We had a word with the Mayorsand Councillors of eachterritory, asking them thefollowing questions in order tounderstand of what importancethis event will play in theirparticular circumstances.

1) Your municipality isgoing to host a young director,how would you describe yourtown to them?

2) Has your town hostedartists in the past (mostr e c e n t l y ) ? W h a t i s t h econtribution that they havemade? What have they chosento represent and what struckthem the most in your area?

3) I f you were thedirector, what are the realities ofyour town that you wouldchoose to film? Is there one typeof work, above all, that wouldrepresent your town?

What do the municipalitiesthat are taking part and whowill eventually host thedirectors think of the SlowMovie Contest?

La Macina di San Cresci hasbeen faced for some time now,with the challenge of hosting anartist residency, which receive asuccession of painters, sculptorsand writers from around theworld. As with the prestigiousGalleria Continua, located in at e x t i l e f a c t o r y i n S a nGimignano, La Macina di SanCresci is a great example of arural venue here, which attractsinternational attention. Wewould like the films shot here toshare the same remarkablequalities of the local products,which are their subjects. A film,a short film above all, alwayscarries in itself the traits of anartisan product even when (andthis is another one of our goals) itreaches the industrial circuit. Tofulfill these goals the directorswill have to 'get their handsdirty', get in touch with the earth,to be masters of a technique thatis able to merge with creativityand ingenuity, making art ascraftsmen.

Cinema is the art of the movingimage: in the image there ismemory, in the motion the future.Tha’ is why cinema is the idealmedium to promote these age-old activities, which manage tosurvive because of their ability toinnovate. They find the meanswithin themselves, as wellexternal means,which enablesthem to keep on going.The deeper meaning of traditionis about just this: succeding intransmitting the genuineidentity of something, (re)inventing its, without betrayal.After completion the shorts willbe combined into a singledocumentary in 8 parts, whichwe will disseminate to nationaland international festivals, ontelevision, and on the Internet.This is the real reward for ourdirectors and our territory (alongwith the always useful andattractive prize money). Thep r i m e o b j e c t i v e o f o u rstrategy:combine 8 shorts intoone documentary that travels theworld - like the 8 towns hereunited in one region - that worksas an importer and exporter ofculture. Ours is a dream, but adream nourished by practicalresults, things that move ofthemselves, once we set them inmotion. For example, at therequest that came to us recentlyfrom the Turkish town of Cavus,to select eight painters andsculptors, to travel to Turkey inAugust for a week of artistresidency there. Immediately itoccurred to us to look for artistsrepresenting the 8 municipaldistricts of the Slow Movie

artdesign

environment

Progetto realizzatonell’ambito di

TOSCANAINCONTEMPORANEA 2012

(Describe one or more types ofartisan trades and explain whythey best represent your town)

4) W h a t i s t h eimportance of filming localtraditions like artisan, historicalprofessions that no longer existsand / or a young person who isrenewing such an ancient craft?

On the next page you will findtheir reflections.

Carolina Mancini

In collaboration with:

Main Sponsor

Greve in Chianti

San Casciano Val di Pesa

Barberino Val d’Elsa

Tavarnelle Val di Pesa

CastelnuovoBerardenga

Castellina in Chianti

Gaiole in Chianti Radda in Chianti

The territory of Chianti is madeup of a broad hilly area situatedin the centre of Tuscany ,between Florence and Siena ,closed to the east by the Chiantimountains and to the west bythe valleys of the Pesa and Elsarivers . It takes in, partially or intheir entirety, the municipalitiesof San Casciano Val d`Elsa ,Tavarnel le Val di Pesa,Barberino Val d`Elsa, andGreve in Chianti ( in theProvince of Florence ) andCastellina in Chianti, Radda inChianti, Gaiole in Chianti andCastelnuovo Berardenga ( in theprovince of Siena ) . Famous theworld over for its excellentwine, the Chianti landscape ischaracterized by a continuousalternation of valleys and gentlehills cloaked in vines and olivesbut also of harsh peaks coveredin woods of oaks, cypresses andpines. The entire area isscattered with ancient hamlets,churches and abbeys, turretedc a s t l e s a n d f o r t r e s s e s ,farmhouses and tuscany villas .It is an architectural landscapemade up of simple and warm

Materials such as limestone,pietra serena and terracotta,which has adapted itself to thenatural landscape over thecenturies, producing effects ofb r e a t h t a k i n g h a r m o n y.Inhabited since ancient times bythe Etruscans, who it appearswere the first to grow the vinesand many archaeological tracesof whom survive, the area alsounderwent a s igni f icantdomination by the Romans, inthe mediaeval period it was atlength the scene of violentclashes between the rival citiesof Florence and Siena, whichonly ceased in the mid sixteenthcentury with the definitivedefeat of the Senese Republic.This is by now past history, butit is no mere coincidence that,after centuries of antagonisma n d r i v a l r y, t h e e i g h tmunicipalities of Chianti havesymbolically underwritten anagreement - the "Patto diPontignano" - which lays downcommon rules for protectingand valorizing their respectiveidentities in a unified manner.(Fonte: APT Firenze)

Sponsor

Media partner

Technical Sponsor

La Macina di San Cresci

www.chianticom.com

Pieve di San Cresci 150022 Greve in Chianti (FI)ItalyTel. 055 8544793

Residenza perArtisti

Organizzato da:

www.slowmoviecontest.orginfo@slowmoviecontest.org

One Page 12 April 2013

Barberino Val D’Elsa

IL TEMA

HANNO DETTO

LA MATERIA

The territory of BarberinoVal d'Elsa is itself awork of art: small

villages clinging to the hills,where you see vineyards,forests and architectural gems,such as the Dome of Semifonte,the Romanesque Church ofSant 'Appiano, the castles ofL i n a r i , P o p p i a n o a n dM o n s a n t o ; t h e T h e a t e rMargherita Marcialla; theRuins of Cepparello, TheChapel Brancadoro - Majnoni –Guicciardini at Vico d'Elsa withits splendid frescoes byGiovanni da San Giovanni;fortified houses and examplesof rural architecture; smallcemeteries, churches andtabernacles ; small squaressurrounded by nature like thoseof Tignano and Barberino;villas and palaces ...This town is not short onlegends and history. Forexample: the end of Semifonte,which was destroyed by theenemies of Florence in 1202and the birth of Barberino Vald'Elsa; the decline of Linari,one of the freed towns of theterritory; Monteloro and hisSaint; the legend of the fountainof milk and the adventures of"Guerrin Meschino." Thecolors and contours of thelandscape are unique, the scentof the woods and wines areunmistakable. It is an areas u r r o u n d e d b y n a t u r a lelements, made up of manysmall towns and populated withcottages and farmhouses.towns San Gimignano,C e r t a l d o , P o g g i b o n s i ,Castellina in

Theof

Chianti and

Una Paginaonline su :www.chianticom.com Stampa : Tipografia Grevigiana

Tavarnelle Val di Pesa encircleit. A director wouldn’t knowwhere to begin f i lming...Barberino Val d'Elsa is alsothe birthplace of the poetFrancesco and Andrea daBarberino, Pope Urban VIII, thepainters Raffaellino del Garboand Ugo Capocchini, and

Marco Borgianni,currently living in Vico d'Elsa .Many other artists have left theirart work in the area, as to leave am a r k : M i c h e l a n g e l oBuonarroti, who was a guest ofthe Augustinians in Marciallabetween the end of 1400 andbeginning of 1500 It is said thathe began the fresco in the SantaMaria church depicting theDeposition (a statement that hasn e v e r b e e n p r o v e n o rd i s p r o v e n ) . B e r n a r d i n oPoccetti, who in the late 1500spainted a panel in the SaintMichael’s dome in Petrognanoand the " grotesque " frescos inthe interior of the court atPaneretta Castle; Pietro Tacca,who created the golden bronzebust of Beato Davanzato for theSan Bartolomeo church inBarberino Val d'Elsa ...

ilmaestro

.

If I were the director, I wouldfilm the skills of the craftsmenwho embody the artistic spiritof the territory. I would startwith Paola and Danila’s shop inBarberino, where they gentlypaint and glue together uniquepieces. I would continue toceramacists Andrea and Catia,who mold clay; I would meetMarco, painter and sculptor,who draws and sculpts women’sfigures, maternal and fertile; Iwould visit Roberto and

Castellina in ChiantiGiuseppe’s workshop, as theytame and bendiron; I would lookin on Paolo and Alessio, whoare carpenters, and go to Fabio’sstudio. Roberto, who has taughthis son Giuseppe the art offorging iron into shapes andd e s i g n s i s p a r t i c u l a r l yfascinating to me: it represents apassage of experience, lessons,skills ... now they work side byside, and it’ s said that the sonhas exceeded his father. Paoloand Alessio are another fatherand son, working side by side int h e s a m e c a r p e n t r y i nBarberino. Here too, the fatherhas taught his trade to his son,the ancient artisan tradition ofcarpentry.

Castelnuovo BerardengaGaiole in Chianti

The town of Castellina inC h i a n t i c a n b econsidered a paradigm

of the Chianti reality, for morethan one reason: First, for thecharacteristics of the socio-economic fabric, based mainlyon the agricultural productionof wine, olive oil and tourism(the city has about 150,000visitors per year). Secondly,because of its landscape,characterized by suggestiveglimpses and sweeping vistas ofthe surrounding valleys, madeeven more fascinating by thewarm colors of the vineyardsand olive groves. Finally, froma logistical and historical pointof view, as a territory locatedroughly halfway betweenFlorence and Siena, two citiesthat had a key role, from theMiddle Ages, in local history.Not surprisingly perhaps, thelegend of the Black Roosterfinds its setting in Castellina, ina place called Crocefiorentina.Typical activities in the area arerelated to the production ofexcellent agro-food: wine andoil. The international success ofChianti’s wine is well knowna n d w e l l s u p p o r t e d b ymarketing initiatives andcommunication of the ChiantiClassico Wine Consortium.Onthe other hand, the olive oilseems to have a sort of inferior

In the words of the Mayor Marcello Bonechi

status when compared to thewine, despite its organolepticqualities. For this reason, it isimportant to enhance andstimulate the olive oileconomy, encouraging highers a l e s , p r o d u c t i o n a n demployment.This is essentialfor both the maintenance of ourland and the identity of this land.What would Chianti be if theolive groves were abandonedbecause they were no longerprofitable? One outstandingartist who decided to settle inC a s t e l l i n a , e v e n t u a l l ybecoming a ful l - f ledgedresident, in all aspects with hisfamily, was the French singerLeo Ferré. Regarded by criticsas the "De Andrè of the Alps",he is particularly famous for thelibertarian and anarchist contentof his work, which wasd e v e l o p e d d u r i n g h i sexperience in Castellina. Thebest contribution he made tothe community was integratinghimself in the agricultural andrural context of Castellina in the70s, with great tact andsensitivity and, without thesuperior attitude, his elitecultural status might suggest.The family stayed on inCastellina even after his death inthe early 90's, and continues tothrive with great success, with afarm mainly dedicated to wine

P r o d u c t i o n . A n o t h e rimportant piece of musicalheritage can be found in thesong, "

" (“Castellina thetown in Chianti”), producedand published by the CetraQuartet in 1954. Inspired by alove affair between the writerof the song (Tata Giacobetti),and a girl from Castellina,during World War II, the songdescribes in minute detailsome of the people andcharacteristics of Castellina atthat time.

Castellina paese delChianti

In the words of Patrizia Sollazzi, Councilor of Culture

In the words of Annalisa Giovani, the Councilor of Culture

Castelnuovo Berardenga isa town in Tuscany, whichis located 10 km from

Siena and about 70 kilometersfrom Florence, between CreteSenesi and Chianti. It is part ofthe network, the"Living Well" cities and in 2005the town received the OrangeFlag by the Italian Touring Club.Aplace of romantic and beautifulparks, houses of nobles andcultural personalities, such asRanuccio Bianchi Bandinelliand Count Chigi Saracini;Castelnuovo is the backdrop tomany cultural, architec-tural andmonumenta l centers , forexample: the village of SanGusmè, Montegiachi, theCerreto Rectory, the Civic ClockTower in Castelnuovo, theOratory of Sant'Ansano, theChapel of San Liberato in Curinaand Montaperti, which is the siteof the historic battle betweenFlorence and Siena, as featuredin Dante’s Divine Comedy.Through the Slow MovieContest we intend to introduceanother type of Chianti, the kindthat existed before the arrival ofthe intensive wine productionwhich has transformed thelandscape and made Chiantiamong the most popular brandname for wine, food and tourism.For several years, the wholecommunity of Castelnuovo hasbeen committed to the protectionof the land and recuperating localtraditions.The pride of the town is the

Slow Towns

vvvvv

documentation of Bruscelli, aform of popular and poortheater, once widespread inT u s c a n y . C a s t e l n u o v oBerardenga is one of the fewtowns in Tuscany to be part ofthe nationalassociat ion, through thehistorical documentation of

, which gives lifeand color, over the years tosome of the most characteristiccorners of the village withmurals depicting the themes ofthe var ious ed i t ions ofBruscello. is aninitiative of great beauty,especially for the artistic valueof the murals. By binding itselfto the important tradition ofBruscello it gives prestige to thet o w n a n d i t s c i t i z e n s .Castelnuovo is well worth avisit, even just by going for awalk and discovering thesepainted corners. The traditionalcraft of “bullettaio” or nailmaker, still inspires artisticworks using iron in the localshops. Castelnuovo Berardengais part of the “Ecomuseo ofC h i a n t i . ” T h e r e i s t h eLandscape Museum here,which contributes to the

Painted Towns

Painted Walls

Painted Walls

o n g o i n g p r o j e c t c a l l e d“Memory Archive,” thatc o l l e c t s p h o t o g r a p h i cdocumentation, as well as audioand audiovisual information ofthe citizens of Castelnuovo andChianti. Also located inCastelnuovo is the "Città delVi n o " ( C i t y o f W i n e )Headquarters, which wasfounded in 1987.In a smallsection of Castelnuovo, calledP i e v a s c i a t a , t h e r e i s apermanent exhibi t ion ofsculptures and installationscalled “Chianti Sculpture Park.”In this park the sculptures andinstallations are integrated intoa magical forest of oak trees.There is also an amphitheater,that offers visitors a fullprogram of concerts andcultural events, as well as agallery of sculptures createdinside an old furnace. Recentlythis part of town was the focusof an urban renewal projectcalled "Pievasciata Village ofContemporary Art", whichholds installations of art workswithin a landscape context.Pievasciata itself is a work ofart, appreciated and recognizedall over the world (and madepossible by/with the support ofThe City of Castelnuovo, theProvince of Siena and theRegion of Tuscany).

In the words of Deborah Montagnani, Councilor of Culture

Gaiole has developedalong the MasselloneValley River, an ideal

place since ancient times formeetings and markets. In facteven before the year 1000, thehills that surrounded the valleywere inhabited, the "peoples" ofthese villages of the "heights"came down to the valley to meetand haggle, which gave birth tothe core that became the maincenter of the entire valley.Notarial documents of 1215indicate its importance as am a r k e t p l a c e , a n d t h eimportance grew again in 1300with the establishment of the"Lega del Chianti", whichGaiole, became the capital ofthe " te rz ie re" wi th themunicipalities of Castellina andRadda. For four centuries theterritory of Gaiole was theborder between Florence andSiena and, therefore, the targetof raids and attacks until thefinal fall of Siena in 1555.Today our municipality is oneof the largest in the province ofSiena and is covered in 80%forest. The hills and narrowvalleys distinctly show, morethan anywhere else, theparticular characteristics of theChianti region, which differsfrom the Sienese and Florentinehills. The hills are steep, the oakwoods sufficiently cover itssurface and opens up wide andairy islands of vineyards and

olive groves; the valleys areshort and narrow and areuntouched by the “breath of thecity” and the traffic noise. Thehuman markings of houses, ofthe church and of the castle areless intense, yet the sense oftranquility that you feel is not asense of loneliness.Among our guests, there aremany who decide to stay. Wehad many artists who lived inour farms anonymously.Usually, those who decide tolive here prefer to stay awayfrom the "spotlight." They notonly enjoy the beauty, butpeace as well. Matthew Spenderis a distinguished fellow citizen,living near S. Sano since 1968,taking part in village life,playing in the PhilharmonicSociety and recently donated asculpture to the town of Gaiolein Chianti.Unfortunately, the old crafts arebeing lost, like the cobbler whomade wonderful shoes in hisshop in Piazza Ricasoli, a realinstitution, which unfortunatelydisappeared. There is a Germanlady who has lived for years inGaiole, who manufacturesloom-woven fabrics, and anartisan wrought iron maker thatstill works in the traditionalway.I believe there is not oneparticular job that represents ourland more than others: allmanual work that requires

tenacity and intelligence canbea symbol of this area, whichwas originally rough and hard,and transformed by man into ahaven of beauty and tranquility.

It is possible to describe theterritory of Greve (in Chianti)in two words: harmoniously

austere.This is the essence, the charm andthe magic of this place known andloved all over the world. Thismagic is carried throughout theland, from village to village, fromthe to the castles and foundin every farmhouse scatteredthroughout the countryside.

. Thereis a simplicity found here almostto the point of being austere, asimplicity that never appears sador penitential, but rather areflection of the Tuscan andFlorentine values. A landscapethroughout history that has beenforged by man, demonstrating hisstustainable land managementand his natural relationship,

with the land.Everything that makes ourv i l l ages and coun t ry s idestrikingly similar is the samething that makes it strikinglydifferent, and those who visitthese lands can feel the powerfulpresence of a loci genius that overtime forged a place where onenever grows tired of seeing.This fantastic place has not beengiven to us – how do you say- notas an inheritance from ourparents, but rather as somethingwe are borrowing from ourchildren, and for that we are tryingto preserve and protect it throughthe establishment of the first bio-d i s t r i c t i n I t a l y , t h eimplementation of crops andorganic products - from our mainproduct: the wine ChiantiClassico DOCG - the protectionof the environment with particular

villas

Everything in moderation

inmoderation

Greve in Chianti

Radda in Chianti

San CascianoVal di Pesa

Tavarnelle Val di Pesa

One Page 12 April 2013

In the words of the Mayor Alberto Bencistà

attention to the reduction ofwasteand recycling.In thiscontext, the Slow Movie Contestcan provide our municipalitieswith an important opportunity tohighlight two aspects. On theone hand the uniqueness of thisarea that is so internationallypopular. It is the place wherepeople from all over the worldand many artists, since the early60's, have chosen to live andwork. On the other hand to showwhy, today, we are trying topreserve and protect theenvironment and the quality oflife of our citizens and touriststhrough a policy particularlysensitive to environmentalissues, (Greve inChianti founded in 1999, theAssociation of Slow Cities), thesafeguarding of traditional craftsand products. If our butchersshops - and butchers in particular- are famous all over the world,the same amount of attentionshould be given to leather andwood restoration laboratoriesthat populate our commercialcenters. With difficulty smallartisan shops are still surviving(thanks to our elders). Theseshops include crafts like basketweaving, barre l making,wrought iron and tree(olive)carving.Getting back to the country,other than wine and oil, they arerecuperating the cultivation ofancient crops, such as iris andsaffron, which are related to anancient economy of subsistence.The ancient feminine arts ofembroidery, quilting and flasklining, have become almost onlymemories.

slow lifestyles

San Casciano is like a bigmoving mosaic, in whicheach piece comes to life and

becomes a living picture. The landis extensive, heterogeneous, eachlocation has its own traditions andcustoms, but one does notfunction without the other.Besides the charm of the hills androads, the value of historical andartistic heritage, San Cascianooffers ample educational andcultural opportunities: themuseum, which houses some ofthe most important works of art ofthe fourteenth and fifteenthcenturies, the activities of theNiccolini Theater, the library, thepanoramic viewpoint of theTower of Chianti…Since its reopening, which took

place over fifteen years ago, theNiccolini Theater has hostedhundreds of prominent artistsboth I ta l ian and foreign.Representatives of the traditionaltheater and contempo-rary drama;this is the type two-foldprogramming that the towna n n u a l l y p r e p a r e s , i ncollaboration with the TuscanFoundation Show and the greatUgo Chiti. The town has decidedto pay tribute to these artists(Paolo Poli, Gianrico Tedeschi,Massimo Ghini, Franca Valeri, IsaDanieli, Alessandro Benve-nuti,Laura Curino, Ottavia Piccolo ...)and more recently a silver plaque,a product of high quality, made byour master craftsmen went toAntonio Morrocchesi as aLifetime Achievement Award.The Museum of San Casciano ismarked by a deep connection with

In the words of Chiara Molducci, the Councilor of Culture

art. For several years, thanks tothe professionalism of SandraStanghellini and the GiulianoGhelli Foundation, the hallscontaining Tuscan masterpiecesare coexisting with importantworks of contemporary art,donated by artists who haveexhibited their creations at SanCasciano. Walking the streets orthrough the woods you realizethis sensitivity to nature that thegreat artists of our time musthave felt, just think of the deer byMario Merz towering themedieval walls or the moon byMauro Staccioli in the clearingof Luciana.Another artistic stageis that of the village ofSant’Andrea in Percussina,where Niccolò Machiavelliwrote "The Prince" which thisyear celebrates i t’s fif thcentennial. The village has oftenbeen at the center of filmproductions that have amplifiedthe name and prestige of ourcountry all over the world.If I were a director, I would focuson the images of San Cascianothat best describe the duality ofour land: on the one part there isthe beauty and elegance, on theother, there is simplicity and

concreteness. I wouldn’t beafraid to juxtapose the interior ofan old villa and the cuisine of the

, crowdedwith dozens of volunteers. Iwould like to have images ofcurious citizens that fill thelibrary during philosophicalconversations on Wednesdays,and of children who learn toexplain in English the works ofart in our museum, or the placeswhere they build wagons andcostumes for the medievalCarnival. I also think of the fieldsof our farmers, at the hands ofthose who work there, includingthose of our citizens from NorthAfrica, and the workshops of theartisans of San Casciano, whoknow beauty along with skill andexperience. It is difficult toidentify a single job as a symbolof know-how in San Casciano.The shops of the past and theirproducts amazingly relive thepass ion of woodcarvers ,silversmiths, blacksmiths,potters, leather workers, andembroiderers. A wisdom whichwe hope will be picked up andcarried forward by the citizens ofthe future.

Parco del Poggione

Tavarnelle and the regionof Chianti in general,exude beauty, harmony,

vibrancy, but the real strength ofthis area lies not only in theenchantment of a scenic view, orin the historical value of achurch. The very essence of ourcommunity is its people, thevitality of its residents, thecommon sense of membership ina territory with a strongpersonality, with its history andancient traditions; is the desire togo out of your way for others, thepleasure of being together, andabove all to do and create withskill and passion. The workersuse their hands to grow, produce,feel useful, to express a quality,and is the most representative ofthe “encyclopedia of the past,”which is so majestic in Chianti.An encyclopedia that is notcluttered, but continues to be re-read with a forward-looking gazeand aware of the value of its rootsand desire to look forward,despite the difficulties andsetbacks from which even'beauty' is not immune.T h e r e a r e a r t i s t s w h osuccessfully represent the heartand soul of Tavarnelle simplybecause they are part of it.Distinguished representatives offilm and theater, like Ugo Chiti,and his inseparable company“ A r c a A z z u r r a ” , w h o s emembers, especially MassimoSalvianti and Dimitri Frosali,l ive the terr i tory, as aninexhaustible source of themesand events to be staged, a mirrorof reinterpreted reality thatpeople love and appreciateb e c a u s e t h e y r e c o g n i z ethemselves. In the texts of thegreat playwright Ugo Chiti,always burns the fire of realismthat is inspired by the slight and

In the words of Lia Corsi, Councilor for Economic Development

ingenious observat ion ofstrengths and weaknesses of thereality of Tavarnelle, rich inauthenticity and contradictionsthat make so vivid and varied oursocial fabric. Recently, theactress and director BarbaraEnrichi filmed and produced adocumentary in our area, as partof a project sponsored by theMunicipal Department for EqualOpportunities and by theWomen’s Coordination Arci LaRampa Tavarnelle, which hasshed a light onto the paralleltestimonies of fourteen womenfrom four different generations.In general, the contribution ofartists lies in the developmentand open discussion of theconcept of memory and theidentity of our community,which now has a profile, thanksto the interweaving of these twoaspects.If I were a director, I would filmt h e m a n y a r t i s t i c a n darchitectural elements, whichour town overflows with, forexample: the village of SanDonato in Poggio, Badia aPassignano, the church of SanPietro in Bossolo and theadjacent Museum of Sacred Art,the Noce ridges and Bonazza,alternating with the vitality of thesquares, the streets of Tavarnelleand its artisan workshops, a visitto the weekly market in PiazzaMatteotti, a day spent among thew i n e r i e s , t h e s h e d s o fentrepreneurs, the artisanstudios. The shops in the oldtown, clarifies the idea of what ismeant by this culture of workingfor the community. There aremany trades that run through thistradition, between history andmoderni ty. Old and newgenerations of carpenters,carvers, restorers, silversmiths,

potters, blacksmiths linked by acommon denominator: the handson skills which turns intocreativity and courage tointerpret new trends withinnovation. Artisans by choiceand passion, in a worldaccustomed to hustle and bustle,they invent and rewrite thetradition by following the naturalrhythms of the 'made by hand'.

In the words of the Mayor, Alessandro Aterini

Radda in Chianti is a smalltown in the countryside ofChianti Classico Siena,

with an area of over 80 squarekilometers and a population of1,700 inhabitants. In the past,Radda was the headquarters of the“Chianti Leauge”, and becamethe capital in 1415.Today, you can visit the Podestà’sPalace, containing the town halland the ( former) prison. Itsfaçade is emblazoned with thecoats of arms of previous mayors.After the exodus, which lasted forfifteen years (1952-1966) the hillsof Radda and Chianti in general,became a place attractive to a hostof nature lovers, mainly peoplefrom large Italian metropolitanareas and foreign countries(England, Germany, Switzerland...). It is a heterogeneous world ofsocial and territorial origin, butRadda also belongs to the farmingculture, which has rediscoveredthe values of " " (our)country, a land so rich in cultural

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and environmental assets, whichthe exodus seemed to havecondemned to total ruin. Raddais a landscape scattered withfarmhouses, modeled withspontaneous, but ingenious,"handmade" architecture, theirexteriors built with local stones,reflecting the color of the rocksof the surrounding land, as wellas a sparse succession of lovelyvillas surrounded by gardens.Standing out, above all, are thechurches and chapels of greatarchitectural interest, such asthat of the village of Volpaia,Pian d'Albola, MontemuroAbbey, the Convent of SantaMaria in Radda, the parishchurch of Santa Maria Novella,San Fedele, Castelvecchi ,Livernano ...The main activitiesof this area relate to theproduction of olive oil and wine,the wealth and pride of ourregion. And there are alsotraditions that have been lost,such as the production of

ceramics, meat processingandtypical of this area.Radda has increased its incomein the last twenty years, thanks totourism, the hotel business andfarming, while at the same timerespecting the land.I believe that one of the tasks inwhich local governments shouldinves t more , i s in thei n t e n s i f i c a t i o n o f t h eaggregation process throughcultural and recreational events.The contribution of people withcultural understanding isessential, people who are notdivided by prejudices in theirideas and their training.Slow Movie Contest’s job is tomake a careful examination ofthe social and economic aspectsthat characterize the life ofChianti, indirectly this will intu rn make a s ign i f i can tcontribution towards the greatereconomic integration of theterritory.