Calabria Begins - Gizzeria Lido and Conflenti

A cat that lives at our accommodation in Gizzeria Lido

After writing in the last entry and reflecting upon it I realised how much more positive I am feeling now in comparison. I think once you embrace a place for what and who it is, reject what you are used to at home and discard any expectations you may press upon it, the world opens up and you begin to see and live it for what it is in its own wonderful unique way.  Italy is Italy with all the chaos and disorganisation it comes with – which is the Italians themselves! But it also comes with the laughter, the playfulness, the sillyness, the drama and the best food in the world.

            I forgot to mention that once we arrived in Rome the weather was to die for, a wave of heat overcame us and summer, which felt like a distant friend, was back with us. Walking through the streets I felt like I was cheating, that this summer wasn’t mine to have yet and that I was jumping the queue, not waiting my turn for it to come to Australia. Mwaahhaaa.

Now I am in the south of Italy staying in a place called Gizzeria Lido right next to the beach. We literally walk under a tunnel under the road and then onto the sand (or tiny grey rocks that are apparently fragments of volcanic ash! Possibly from the volcano in Sicily called Stromboli – Pinocchio rings a bell here). We’ve been relaxing at our accommodation while here and being cooked for – lots of seafood!

The beach and Gina's Kangaroo for her classroom back in Australia
It represents them with her!

Yesterday went to Conflenti (where my family is from) for the most popular annual festival: La Madonna della Quercia (a festival dedicated to Mary and a vision someone had of her decades ago near the Quercia tree (an oak tree) next to the church). People come from all over Italy and the world to celebrate it. Apart from all the markets stalls, music, dancing, hourly church services and eating, the procession was the highlight. It involved carrying a massive statue of the Madonna (Mary) carrying the Baby Jesus and holding her open breast, on a circle around the village with a couple hundred people following in front and behind. I had the camera and filmed the whole thing, weaving through the crowds, running up hill to get high shots, getting near to the statue getting close-ups of the pained faces of the men holding the idol up, walking behind to get the marching band with their brass instruments, the alter boys and girls carrying incense and singing, the priest and his possy, the members of the council, and the onlookers. By the time I got back to our group I was sweating and looked slightly deranged- but so satisfied.

Conflenti from the top of the mountain
You need to drive up the mountain for one hour to get to the valley
I walked down with Erron (photographer) while everyone else got the bus

Everyone waiting outside the church in anticipation for the Madonna idol

The tree where the vision of the Madonna was seen all those
years ago. Its next the the church and inspired the annual festival

Mum, Gina and Silvana set up a stall for the book and lots of people were stopping to discuss the content and sharing their own stories. It was quite successful; we sold about a dozen, which is huge for a small town. So far we are being very well received, I can’t wait to share the footage of it all with you.

The festival was great all up, children running loose everywhere! It reminded me of India a little bit, and even Gina commented on that which confirmed it for me. Its interesting how small country towns, even in developed places, reflect quite similarly on the third world places I’ve visited – being the simplicity of the people, the enjoyment of life’s little pleasure, community focused, random objects left on the side of the street, dogs and cats wandering around and mixing with the people, street food, lots of colours!

Me filming Mum who is speaking to a man who grew up with my grandfather

the hillside at sundown

boy playing accordion while children dance

Anyway I am being called for lunch now so I have to go, I’m still full from breakfast, expect me to come home as an umpa-lumpa! Gina just came over to my table and said, “Guys, its time to eat again! Can you believe that…”

So I better go, its rude to not come to the table immediately (with enthusiasm!)

My first few days have been great; I look forward to the next update.

-Danielle.

*  photos taken by Erron Field.

In Transit - London and Rome

I can only be brief because Mum and I are about to catch a train down to the South, Lamezia, from Rome.

We’ve had a chockablock past few days, we arrived in London on Tuesday morning and spent the two days we were there mostly sightseeing and eating. We stayed in university accommodation near Victoria Station, Westminster, so Buckingham Palace and Big Ben were only ten minutes away by foot. We didn’t plan anything before we got there and did mostly everything by the minute. The first day we went to Soho and saw The Jersey Boys at Prince Edward theatre. That was lots of fun, and something Mum has wanted to go for ages (just ask my brothers). It was quite nice and sunny on Tuesday, but I had to keep reminding myself it was summer! The weather was like our Australian autumn. On Wednesday we really felt the London weather its famous for. The rain poured non-stop, but it didn’t dampen our spirits (pun intended). 

We caught the double-decker bus up to Soho again to see the National Portrait Gallery with my friend from film school, Louisa, who lives just out of London. After that we took refuge in a popular organic take-away food place called Pret a Manger (by popular I mean literally one on EVERY corner). We also found a café called “Nero” which Mum was ecstatic about (as it is her last name) and so I took a photo of her in front of it. We then realised there was a Nero Café on every corner as well. A bit overkill. Expecting summer I packed light – one cardigan was all I had so I got a bit sniffly and hence grumpy. The London people are interesting, to tell you the truth I saw more tourists rather than locals flooding the streets (again pun intended). They were also pretty grumpy as well, so I guess I blended in. They never said thank you or smiled much, but I’m not complaining, it’s just the culture of the city, like people from Tamworth might say about us Sydneysiders. Louisa was great to have because she kept us laughing and we didn’t feel so tourist-y. I surprisingly found the city quite easy to get around, and I reckon I could master it in a week or two – totally tooting my own horn, but its how I feel so there. The truth. It hurts.

a Big Black Bin

We landed in Rome yesterday morning and realised we had to leave today for Lamezia earlier to get to Confelnti by the early evening. So we had to change our ticket (which was not refundable or transferable!) and bought a new one. We also had tickets for the Vatican this morning that were also non-refundable or transferable – NOTHING IN ITALY IS REFUNDABLE OR TRANSFERABLE so don’t book anything unless your 200% certain!! Luckily this morning two German girls staying at the same place as us overheard that we had to forfeit our Vatican tickets and offered to buy them off us because they were heading there now!! They gave us 40 Euro for them. What are the chances??

We had a nice day with lunch near the Spanish Steps with Gina Polito, and then I caught up with my good friend Silvia and her Friend Gabriella. I used to go to school with Silvia in 2003 when I lived in Bassano Del Grappa in the Veneto region.

In Rome - Me, Silvia and Gabriella

So here we are in Roma Termini (train station). We missed our train to Lamezia at 10:45am because some idiot in a uniform gave us the wrong information and we ended up at the wrong platform. So luckily we were able to transfer our ticket (so I guess in some cases its possible hey!) and we are departing in about half an hour. So I gotta go!

Off to the South today… the real journey begins!

-Danielle. 

Introduction - one week before departure

Hello there!

Next Monday I'm flying to Italy with mum Silvana Nero, along with Gina Polito, Silvana Toia (co-authors) and Emilia Toia (co-author and graphic designer), to promote their book Sempre Con Te/ Always with You in Calabria (located on the ball of Italy's foot). It was published last year and has been well received along the Northern Beaches, Sydney (including being the winner of a National Trust of Australia (NSW) Energy Australia Heritage Award 2010. Category: Interpretation and Presentation - Community Group). In a nutshell the book focuses on nine women (including my grandmother Maria Nero) from the periods of the 1920s-1970s who all had similar migration stories from Italy to Australia; they fell in love, their husbands and boyfriends left for Australia, landed in the Northern Beaches and began to set up a new life here. After many years of separation the women, some with proxy marriages, embarked here by themselves via ship and finally reunited with their loves in a new land. We are going to journey around Calabria to promote the second edition of the book, taking the stories of these women to their home towns and sharing with those who stayed behind their journeys and what became of them in Australia. 

the Oceania liner, 1951

The book and this journey to Italy is the inspiration for this documentary film. 

As it is a documentary, the film can only be what is thrown at me (a.k.a life), but to start I have three main points I'd like to focus on:

1. My pilgrimage to my Italian roots and the group's journey around Calabria with the book.
2. An exploration of two women from the book: Maria Nero (my grandmother) and Maria Mastrioanni and their migrant stories of the separation, journey and reunion. A reflection on my connection to them being the age of 21, and travelling to Italy, the same age as they were when they left Italy for Australia
3. A look at contemporary attitudes and influences on communication and long distance relationships in comparison to those of the fifties, how we have changed, what remains and the searching for our place in the world amidst this.

Passport of Rosina Roperti, a migrant to the Northern Beaches, Sydney, 1950s

The film's budget is practically $0, everything is coming from my own pocket right now, but Lucy (co-producer) and I are looking into funding and hopefully sponsorship down the track. The camera I'm using is a Sony mini DV, just a regular 'home movie' video camera, and the mic is lent to me for use of this trip by the very kind filmmakers Dale and Susan Paget. 

I'm going for three weeks and staying in Calabria for ten nights. I'm taking time off Uni so things are a little hectic right now! I'll be doing a great juggling act of keeping my study up to date. I plan to keep this blog updated with the progress of the film while in Italy and upon return in Sydney right up until the end product and distribution. I look forward to having you on board with me in this filmmaking journey, always willing to hear your comments, suggestions and thoughts! 

Ci vediamo a presto! 

- Danielle.