Weekly Dose of Italian Culture #26
Welcome to the 26th Edition of Weekly Dose of Italian Culture!
Italian Movie
La stanza del figlio (2001, The Son’s Room) is a drama by producer, director, and actor Nanni Moretti. The perfect happy family is completely devastated by a scuba diving accident that killed their son, Andrea (Note: In Italy, Andrea is a male name.)
The movie focuses on the psychological effects this has on the family and how it affects family dynamics, as they learn to live their new life without Andrea.
It is an incredibly touching movie that makes you think and will stay with you.
Italian Song
The song of the week is the energetic Viva by The Zen Circus. Viva is a cheer similar to “hurray for” in English. And it also means “alive” in the feminine form.
Famous Italian
The Italian of the week is Pippo Baudo (1936 —), one of Italy's most famous TV presenters. Before retiring from the small screen, he hosted Domenica In (a popular Sunday TV show broadcast on RAI 1) and the Sanremo Music Festival (a record-breaking 13 times!).
Italian Landmark
Located in Abruzzo, Lago di Scanno is a unique lake nestled among the Marsicani mountains. Its distinctive heart shape can be fully appreciated from a panoramic viewpoint along the Sentiero del Cuore (Path of the Heart), a short and scenic hike.
Pop Moment
During Sanremo 1995, a dramatic moment unfolded when a man attempted to jump from the balcony of the Ariston Theater. Pippo Baudo himself intervened, talking the man down and ultimately preventing the tragedy.
Some see Baudo as a hero for his quick thinking, while others suspect the incident was staged for publicity. Regardless of the truth, it remains one of the most iconic moments in Italian television history.
Italian Dish
Maybe it’s my recent attempt at staying off sugar, but I’ve had Italian candy (caramelle) on my mind. Growing up, every kid would buy Goleador from the tabaccheria (the newsstand/cigarette shop) for just a few lire. These days, they go for something like 10 cents of a euro.
Back in the '80s and '90s, they only came in licorice and cola flavors, but now there are more options, as you can see from the image below. At this point, they must have sold billions!
If you’re in Italy and love soft, chewy candy, give them a try.
Italian Proverb
A buon intenditor, poche parole.
(Literal: Few words for a good listener.)
This proverb is the Italian equivalent of A word to the wise is enough. It’s often used to suggest that the message is clear without needing further explanation. Those who understand will get the point right away.
Italian Custom
In Italy, it's a long-standing tradition for children (especially boys) to collect album calciatori (soccer sticker albums), filling them with stickers of Serie A players. These albums, published by Panini, are everywhere, and virtually every Italian boy has owned one at some point. It's yet another testament to how deeply soccer is woven into Italian culture, much like baseball in the U.S. or hockey in Canada.
I hope you enjoyed this edition of Weekly Dose of Italian Culture. Alla prossima!