IL VENTO VA IL SUO GIRO (THE WIND GOES ROUND ABOUT)

Italy, 2008, 120 minutes, Colour.
Thierry Toscan.
Directed by Giorgio Diritti.

A particularly local Italian story set in a remote northern valley, in a village which has lost most of its inhabitants to the cities. The experience is narrowly focused but the message about human nature is universal.

The valley is beautiful, outside Turin. However, the weather and snow are severe and opportunities are limited. When a Frenchman and his family, originally from the Pyrenees but moving because of the building of a nuclear power plant, ask to come in to herd goats and make cheese, there is a mixture of help and reluctance to allow strangers into the village which has had its own language for more than 900 years.

At first all seems to go well. There are memories and celebrations of how the locals hid the hay from the Germans during the war and then everyone joined in to distribute the hay. But human nature being what it is (or the unpleasant sides of human nature, like xenophobia, being what they are), the locals become discontented, jealous, mean-spirited group, believing unfounded gossip. The farmer himself can be abrasive, which does not help.

The film pays great attention to detail of farming, herding and country living. It also intersperses the working scenes with discussions about language, identity and culture. The film is similar in many ways to Raymond Depardon's documentary portrait of changing farm life in France, La Vie Moderne.

It would be pleasing to finish the review by saying that this is an optimistic film about human friendship and collaboration. While there are good moments, people can be harsh and hostile.

1.An Italian story, the contrast between city and country, a film of friendship, enmity? Universal application?

2.The beauty of the location, the Italian valley, the mountains, the small town, the pastures? The contrast with Turin?

3.The atmosphere, the countryside, the changing seasons, the score?

4.The long culture, nine hundred years, Occipitan, the culture and language, people living together, community, the preservation of the culture, losing the culture?

5.Rueldo: the hay, the experience during World War Two, taking the hay to the church, deceiving the Germans, delivering the hay to the needy farmers, everybody joining in to help, the work of the contemporary farmer’s parents? The later harshness?

6.Village life, the bar, people leaving the town, the musician and his tours? The farms, the herds of cattle, the holiday apartments? The mayor, his absence, his deputy, the parish priest, the traditions, the council? Religious processions, house blessings? Change?

7.Philippe and his story, living in the Pyrenees, giving up his work as a teacher, opting out, herding the goats, the nuclear threat in the Pyrenees, his wife and family, the visit, his quest, Fausto and Costanzo and their help, the mayor and the people? Wary, suspicions? Renting huts, homes? The decision about the house? The barn, the kitchen? The goats, the quality of his cheese? Settling in, the pastures – and the goats wandering into other pastures? Progress in his cheese industry? The family, the welcome, his not wanting the house blessed? At home, at work?

8.Friends, discussions about culture, language and community?

9.The seasons, the growing tension, the pastures, their son working with Philippe against his father’s will, the simple man?

10.The herds, the cattle and the goats, growing hostility, accusations, the wood, chopping down the trees?

11.The death of the pig, the authorities, checking out everybody’s farm, the stories going round, the gossip, the lies?

12.Philippe’s wife, the effect, her children?

13.Philippe and his search for the goats, finding them dead, not going to the meeting, his decision to pack up and leave?

14.The television interviewers, Costanzo, the comments, the death of the man, the funeral? The quotation at his funeral – and the allegory about dying?

15.The sadness of the story, the malevolence of human nature, possibilities of community, work, living together? Suspicions? Hopes and defeat?