The Walking Forest

Once upon a time in the heart of Basilicata, there was a town where men transformed themselves into trees.

  • Maria Giménez Cavallo
    Director
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    La foresta che cammina
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Documentary, Culture, Anthropology, Italian
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 1, 2020
  • Country of Origin:
    Italy
  • Country of Filming:
    Italy
  • Language:
    Italian
  • Shooting Format:
    16mm
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Maria Giménez Cavallo

Maria Giménez Cavallo was born in New York in 1992 to an Italian-American mother and Spanish father. She got her B.A. from Columbia University and then moved to Paris to work with Abdellatif Kechiche as artistic collaborator, assistant director, casting director, and editor for “Mektoub, My Love: Canto Uno” (Mostra di Venezia 2017). She later worked with directors such as Hafsia Herzi, Luca Guadagnino, and currently, Pietro Marcello and Alice Rohrwacher. She speaks English, Italian, French, and Spanish fluently.

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Director Statement


Inspired by Michelangelo Frammartino’s "Alberi" (2013), I wanted to experience the magic of a hundred tree-men emerging from the woods to dance in the town square.
With the help of a Bolex camera and 3 rolls of 16mm, I journeyed down to the depths of Basilicata to film the magical walking forest in Satriano di Lucania.
This documentary explores the evolution of this ancestral tradition and celebrates the union of humans and the natural world.