Death, Maria and the Mothers of Tamburi

78min or 54min | HD | 1920 x 1080 | original Italian version German, English, Russian subtitles are available

Synopsis

A film about hope, death and resurrection. “It is this, the darkest night in the history of Mankind, the night when God gave his life for us.” With these words the Archbishop opens his prayer. It is almost midnight and it starts to rain in the streets in front of the church San Domenico.
Thousands are waiting for the great moment when the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows will be brought out of the church and exposed in the square. In the district of Tamburi, close to the steel mill, the situation is the worst. An ordinance prohibits children to play outside, because the ground is contaminated.
You cannot bury the dead, because even the soil of the graveyard is poisoned. Those who can, leave.The environmental requirements have been ignored for 20 years because of the profits. The city, the politicians, the government, they’re all partners in crime. Every year the inhabitants of Taranto breathe 2.7 tonnes of carbon monoxide and 57, 7 tons of carbon dioxide. The dioxin in the air is supposed to be responsible for diseases such as leukaemia and lymphoma. The film shows how the Tarantini, in particular the women of Taranto try to deal with this difficult situation. The film shows their hopes, wishes and beliefs.The central theme of the documentary is the Good Friday procession, the so-called 'Pellegrinaggio dell'Addolorata' and the people who participate in it. The background of the story is the decline of heavy industry, once a source of economic wealth and employment, now a heavy burden on the city in terms of health and environment..

Cast & Crew

Director

Peter Rippl

Film Info

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