L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 32 L'Italo-Americano H u n d r e d s o f p l a n e s grounded at a i r p o r t s a r o u n d t h e world. Empty, lonely streets. People looking from inside their windows. These are some of the images we all r e m e m b e r a b o u t M a r c h 2020. It was the beginning of the pandemic and of the Italian first lockdown that w o u l d l a s t a l m o s t t w o months. This is also the start of Harvest 2020, a docu- m e n t a r y p r o d u c e d a n d directed by Maurizio Gigo- la, an Italian filmmaker who explored wine, people's life, and the territory in one of the most incredible moments in modern history. We met director Gigola during an event hosted by t h e S a n F r a n c i s c o Athletic Club in October, and watched the premiere of his documentary, learning all about the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. This screening was part of a series of events, including a Wine Master Class on Friuli w h i t e w i n e w i t h P a t r i c k Corazza - Sommelier and F o u n d e r o f F r i u l i I t a l i a n W i n e s - a n d M a t t e o Bellotto - Senior consultant o f t h e C o l l i O r i e n t a l i d e l Friuli Consortium - and a G a l a d i n n e r b y C h e f D o n a t o E n o t e c a with a focus on red grapes of the Friulian territory, including n a t i v e v a r i e t a l s l i k e S c h i o p p e t t i n o , R e f o s c o , Pignolo, and international g r a p e s l i k e C a b e r n e t S a u v i g n o n , M e r l o t , R e d Merlot-Cabernet. T h e n o r t h e a s t I t a l i a n region, bordering Austria, Slovenia, and the Adriatic Sea, is home to the Dolomite Mountains and many vine- yards producing white wines. When visiting this part of Italy, you run into a variety of landscapes matching a mixed heritage of different civiliza- tions, populations, and cul- tures, resulting in a small universe with plenty of tradi- tions. Director Gigola's lens- es focus on this land of con- trasts, its people, and its sto- r i e s , c o m i n g t o g e t h e r t o reveal the uniqueness of a place where silence is the hallmark that makes every- one proud. Director Gigola started his career in Milan forty years ago and built his experience across photography, radio, documentary, and commer- c i a l s . H e s t u d i e d a t t h e Academy of Arts University in San Francisco and had a collaboration with maestro Luciano Emmer as a produc- e r a n d d i r e c t o r . B e t w e e n 2016 and 2018, he produced The Great Italian, on the l i f e o f c h e f G u a l t i e r o Marchesi, a biographical documentary that portrays the master's life and achieve- ments while also reflecting on his passions, memories, and key places. Harvest 2020 is part of Wine Odyssey, a TV series of six episodes moving across I t a l y , G r e e c e , G e o r g i a , G e r m a n y , F r a n c e , a n d California. Wine Odyssey focuses on the passion for wine and its universe, every- thing from what's outside the barrel and inside the glass: it's a story about people dedi- cating their lives to winemak- ing and their feelings. The connection between w i n e a n d h u m a n b e i n g s started in ancient times and i s n a r r a t e d t h r o u g h 3 D footage that shows how, over t i m e , t h e h i s t o r y o f w i n e developed along with that of r o y a l f a m i l i e s , w a r s , a n d change, while influencing r e l i g i o n , t r a d e , a n d l o c a l economy. Wine as a beverage was first used for medical purposes, before becoming a companion in both sad and joyful moments, something strictly connected to people's e x i s t e n c e , e v o l u t i o n , a n d their relationship with both the Earth and the Heavens. In addition to filmmaking, D i r e c t o r G i g o l a h a s b e e n working as a consultant for the city of Aquileia. Thanks to its archaeological sites, its B a s i l i c a , a n d m o s a i c s , Aquileia became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. I n a n c i e n t t i m e s , i t w a s known as one of the largest and richest cities within the Roman Empire, as well as a crucial, central European hub of Christianity. Based on t h e s e t r e a s u r e s , D i r e c t o r Gigola developed his vision for a meta luogo, making Aquileia a place that can be v i s i t e d t h r o u g h a d i g i t a l experience, without neces- sarily going there in person. Director Gigola, what took you to Friuli? T h e r e ' s a c o n n e c t i o n through my family. My father was originally from a village c l o s e t o T r i e s t e , c a l l e d Muggia, where we used to spend time when I was a kid. However, during the pan- demic and while there was a break in the lockdown last summer, I rode my motor- bike to Friuli, visiting some of these places close to my heart. In September 2020, we started filming but we got stuck for a few months as the Harvest 2020: Director Gigola's latest documentary explores wine and people from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region SERENA PERFETTO SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY Director Maurizio Gigola presented the premiere of Harvest 2020 at SFIAC in San Francisco (Photo: Nadia Andreini/DILUNA) Continued to page 34

• Cover