90 Seconds

The idea of this film goes back to 10 years ago. In 2010, my high school math teacher asked me to make a documentary short film about the Irpinia earthquake to show to the whole school. It was about a week before November 23, and together with my other high school friends, I immediately went to work. In a few days, I shot many interviews, obtained original film, and edited everything. I had never seen footage and pictures of the earthquake before, or at least not with such dramatic content. It was very sad and heartbreaking for me — I often cried while editing the film. I couldn’t sleep at night. Those images are forever etched in my memory, it was almost traumatic for me. The final product turned out well, but due to the tight schedule, I was not fully satisfied with it. This film was called “90 Secondi” because I made for the beginning a real time simulation of the quake. The final product turned out well, but due to the tight schedule, I was not fully satisfied with it. This year, for the memorial ceremony of the 40th anniversary, I finally had the opportunity to do a sort of remake of that work and was able to update, improve and do everything I couldn't do in the past. The film, however, is not only limited to remembering the tragic event, but it offers a perspective on the future and how, through smart working and new technologies, Irpinia can become a place increasingly connected to the rest of the world, where ideas expand beyond geographic boundaries.