Masters of Italian Craftsmanship (3x26')
MASTERS OF ITALIAN CRAFTSMANSHIP (3x26')
INFORMATION
IT / 2020-2022 / 3x26’ and more to come / HD / Italian, English
Gabriele Guida / Rai / Directed by Gabriele Guida
Worldwide rights available except Italian speaking Europe
TAGS
Arts and crafts, skill, excellence, luxury, travel, discovery, people, places
SYNOPSIS
Masters of Italian Craftsmanship is a documentary series that celebrates the timeless skills, artistry, and passion of Italy's finest artisans. Each episode tells the story of a unique craft, passed down through generations, reflecting the cultural heritage of Italy’s various regions. Through these personal narratives, viewers embark on a journey across the country, discovering not just the beautiful objects crafted by these artisans, but also the landscapes, traditions, and communities that shape them.
The Land of Dreams (2022)
This episode explores Umbrian craftsmanship through symbolic places and and age-old traditions, highlighting the profound connection between man and the product of his creativitiy. Each story reveals the passion, commitment and creativity of craftsmen bringing dreams to life, keeping a rich cultural heritage alive:
- In the Scarzuola, Tomaso Buzzi's ideal city, the tale travels through the art of embroidery on tulle in Panicale ;
- The ceramic mastery of Deruta
- The chesnut woodcarving in Melezozole ;
- The historical candle-making in Bevagna
The Luthier's Music (2022)
The story of the art of violin making in Cremona, considered the world capital of this traditional craft, which has been listed by UNESCO as an intangible heritage of humanity. Starting from the Cremonese workshops of two young luthiers, with diametrically opposed stories, the story moves to Val di Fiemme where, among the spruce forests, for hundreds of years, resonance wood has been collected and processed. This is the wood that we find in the hands of expert violinmakers, but also on the desks of the Instituto Superiore Stradivari, a high school where, in addition to the bormal cycle of studies, the art of violin making is taught. To play, however a violin needs an external element and so Raffaella, on the other side of the Po, creates the bows. This documentary ends with Sofia enchanting us in the rooms of the Stauffer Institute with Bach's Chaconne, considered the manifesto of violonism.
Wise Hands (2020)
Come and discover some of the most famous and characteristic craftsmanship of the March region. Through this journey across the whole region, we delve into ancient traditions passionately preserved and valued by both old and new generations of artisans:
- Offida's Tombolo, a typical lace-making, an ancient embroidery technique using spools to interwine threads ;
- The accordions of Castelfidardo, a global center for the production of this instrument ;
- The pipes of Recanati, crafted by a father and son duo near Casa Leopardi ;
- The papermaking of Fabriano, conducted in a workshop which also serves as a lab where master papermakers pass on their craft to apprentices of various ages ;
- The school of book restoration in Urbino where young students learn how to preserve ancient writings