The Weft and the Interlacement

Original title Zasnova in zaplet

The subject of this documentary are the valleys of river Torre and Cornappo that are situated close to the Slovenian border. In these areas people speak (though less than in the past) an ancient Slovenian dialect, Tersko Narecje, which, during last century, was not given as much linguistic and ethnographic attention as were the nearby areas of Resia Valley and Natisone Valley. The video is the result of a 4-year research during which, by interviewing, recording traditional rituals and recovering old material on film, it was possible to follow the identity dynamics, half way between an ancient sense of belonging and a new sense of reception towards immigrants, that have started to populate these areas again. The documentary follows the research of anthropologist Stefano Morandini whose aim is to bring into evidence the elements of identity preservation especially after the fall of the border between Italy and Slovenia which represented one of the most important moments for the inhabitants of these valleys because a sense of belonging to a common ethnic-linguistic substratum was recognized at last.

Author/s Stefano Morandini

Stefano Morandini obtained the degree in anthropology, at the University of the Studies of Udine with a thesis by the title: The Carnival / Pust in the area of contact friulan-slovenian (Nimis, Torre and Cornappo’s Valley) (supervisor prof. Gian Paolo Gri). Doctorate of research in History: Cultures and structures of the frontier’s areas, obtained in the same university, with the project of research: The dimension of the inter-ethnic relationships in the ritual structure of the frontier’s communities (Torre and Cornappo’s Valley). In 2005 he attended the Summer School of the Visual in Nova Gorica, organized by the Audio-Visual laboratory of Scientific Research Centre of Slovene Academy of Science and Arts in Lubiana (prof. Nasko Kriznar). Currently he is united to the Department of Human Sciences of the University of Udine and he is responsible of the research for the same University in the Museum of the country life Cjase Cocèl in Fagagna (UD).

Research Morandini Stefano
Photography Marcolini Michele
Sound Todesco Romano
Editing Marcolini Michele e Pattanaro Francesco