There are around 180 Italian actuality films from 1909, more than half of the 335 fictional films of that same year. Right from the start documentary images were a sure hit and exported; along with comedy serials and historical films with period costumes, actuality films were a solid part of the marketing strategy of Italian production companies, in terms of production and distribution decisions as well as in terms of creative results. And this was true for the most important companies as it was for minor ones.

Artistic ability spent on recording events and reality was often joined by masterly technical and photographic workmanship, skillful mise en scène and portrayal of space, and a modern film story construction. This program provides the proof. Due to the quantity and quality of the documents this program is able to reconstruct a visual whole, autonomous and complete, an ID card of the country, which is historically recognizable for its customs and its various social rituals and events. Since we can only mention a few titles from that year, we find films reviving the work world and its organization especially valuable such as L’industria della carta all’Isola del Liri (Cines), Il baco da seta (S.A.F.F.I.-Comerio), L’industria del legno nel Cadore (Ambrosio) and Traforo del Loetschberg (A. Croce).
There is also improvement in the pioneering tradition of vedutismo and of the cameraman’s eye when confronted with unspoiled landscape in Paludi pontine (Helios Film), Gole del sagittario (Cines) and Un giro per Napoli (Vesuvio Films), while the rhythm of collective life is punctuated by civic and religious events like the carnival atmosphere of Il polentone a Pont Canavese (Ambrosio) and La festa dei gigli a Nola (Cines), an age-old procession in addition to being the title of this recently found film from 1909.

Sports events and military exercises are a significant part of the films produced with Aviazione a Brescia and Il Palio di Siena (A. Croce), Corse ippiche a Mirafiori and Savoia cavalleria (Ambrosio) along with Giro ciclistico d’Italia (S.A.F.F.I.-Comerio), which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

Documentary ventures did not only focus on the image of the country itself, but it also redefined Italy’s image of the exotic with La caccia al leopardo and Il viaggio del Duca degli Abruzzi al K2 (Ambrosio) and Stoccolma pittoresca (Pasquali e Tempo), while instead Matrimonio abissino (Ambrosio) is direct proof of Italy’s colonial politics in Africa.

Luigi Virgolin