“Va’ sentiero”, watch it for free on YouTube

“Seventy percent of our country is covered by Highlands, and yet, the voice of these places reaches the cities as a distant echo. Our mountains are a precious resource, heritage we depend on far more than we can imagine.

“Although they are marginal, they preserve a simply invaluable biodiversity and cultural variety. The Highlands are a feature to be rediscovered and protected.”

Thus begins the docufilm “Va’ Sentiero – Alla scoperta del Sentiero Italia. I primi 3.548 km da Trieste ai Monti Sibillini” (Discovering Sentiero Italia. The first 3548 km from Trieste to the Sibillini Mountains), which narrates the first part of the journey by six young people along what is considered the longest path in the world: the Sentiero Italia. The 7000 km path links all of the regions in Italy, passing through dozens of parks and hundreds of villages.

Its first 3548 km, which were covered in the first seven months of the journey, go through Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Lombardy, Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta, Liguria, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Umbria and Marche. In Lombardy, the group went through the Upper Varese Province, from Lake Ceresio to Maccagno, and for a few moments in the film, it is possible to catch a glimpse of the enchanting views of Mount Sette Termini and the Lombard shore of Lake Maggiore.

“This docufilm is the result of our unique and authentic experience, along the Sentiero Italia. It tells about a magical and moving nature, but also about communities, about leaving and returning. A lot of time is given to the voices of the people encountered: those who resist in silence and who taught us a lot about the potential and fragility of the Highlands. So, I must thank those who, every day, warmed us with their hospitality, who believed in Va’ Sentiero, step by step,” said Andrea Buonopane, who wrote and made the docufilm.

 

The docufilm, which had its national premiere last November, is now available on the Va’ Sentiero YouTube Channel, until 11 December 2020. This video can be watched by everyone, for free; if you would like to contribute to the cause of Va’ Sentiero, you can make a donation to the project, as indicated below.

The aim of the journey is twofold: on the one hand, it is to promote the Sentiero Italia, by increasing environmental awareness and encouraging responsible and sustainable, slow tourism; on the other, it is to highlight the value of the Highlands crossed, respecting the particular local and environmental features, contributing to supporting the socio-economic fabric of inland areas that are becoming depopulated.

Because of this, the project is based on the idea of sharing: digital sharing, telling the story, in real time, on social networks (Facebook and Instagram), and through an exceptional media partnership (Touring Club Italiano, Radio Francigena, Gazzetta dello Sport), and physical sharing, thanks to the participatory format of the journey, which anyone can join for one or more stages, creating a caravan in the making, in the style of Forrest Gump.

Since the very beginning, the project has achieved significant public success, on both the digital and physical fronts: 9 months after the presentation of the project, the community has more than 40k followers, and the uninterrupted flow of walkers is significant: more than 1500.

Who are they:

The Va’ Sentiero team is made up of six young walkers: the founder, Yuri Basilico, 33, who is specialised in International Relations, the leader of the team on the path and coordinator of the project; the co-founder, Sara Furlanetto, 26, who is specialised in photojournalism and documentary making, a photographer and communication manager; the co-founder, Giacomo Riccobono, 28, who is specialised in marketing, and is in charge of logistics; Andrea Buonopane, 30, a video-maker; Francesco Sabatini, 30, a philosopher, in charge of cultural research; Martina Stanga, 25, who is specialised in economics, and is in charge of social-media management. In addition to them, there is Giovanni Tieppo, a retired truck driver, who provides logistical support.

Click here, for the crowdfunding campaign, to support them, and below for the complete film, which will be available until 11 December.

 

Translated by Chiara Brovelli, Mariachiara Bignoli and Sarah Guarneri

Reviewed by Prof. Rolf Cook