Weekly Dose of Italian Culture #3
Welcome to the third edition of the Weekly Dose of Italian Culture! As always, we’ll explore a famous Italian movie, song, and personality, along with some facts about Italy’s geography, history, and customs.
Italian Movie of the Week
Have you ever wondered what you would do if you suddenly found yourself in the 15th century? That’s the premise of Non ci resta che piangere (Nothing Left to Do but Cry), a delightful comedy from 1984 that remains a favorite among Italians.
The film follows two close friends who get caught in a storm and wake up in the late 15th century, somewhere in the Tuscan countryside. They meet none other than Leonardo Da Vinci and hilariously try to teach him modern inventions (and even how to play card games) only to realize they don’t know much about how those things work themselves!
Along the way, they navigate the challenges of life in a drastically different era and even plot to stop Christopher Columbus from discovering America.
This charming comedy stars two of Italy’s most beloved actors: Roberto Benigni, who gained international fame with La vita è bella (Life is Beautiful, 1997), and Massimo Troisi, adored in his hometown of Naples and across Italy. While Troisi may not be as widely known internationally, he earned some recognition among cinephiles for his role in Il postino (The Postman, 1994), released just before his unfortunate early death.
Italian Song of the Week
This week, I’d like to introduce you to 1950 by Amedeo Minghi.
Released in 1983, 1950 is a nostalgic love song with a delicate melody and touching lyrics. A well-respected songwriter, Minghi is known for his poetic and emotional songs, and this one is certainly among his most popular ones.
The song’s title refers to the years of Italy’s post-war recovery, and while it doesn’t directly address specific events, it certainly evokes nostalgia for that period.
If you're a fan of timeless ballads, 1950 is a must-listen. I plan to translate it soon.
Famous Italian of the Week
This week’s famous Italian is Piero Angela, a beloved educator universally known in Italy.
Piero Angela was a journalist and science educator who dedicated himself to making science accessible to everyone.
It could be argued that he singlehandedly increased scientific literacy in Italy with his TV programs, such as Superquark, which focused on science, nature, history, and technology.
He was widely respected for his ability to simplify complex concepts. I grew up watching his programs and not only did they introduce me to a variety of scientific topics, but they also instilled in me an intellectual curiosity that has served me well in my career.
Piero Angela received many awards and was even knighted by the Italian Republic for his contribution to educating Italians on important cultural topics.
His son Alberto Angela, continues his legacy with cultural TV programs and books.
Piero Angela is definitely one of my favorite Italians of all time, and I see him as the kind of person I aspire to be.
Geography Fact of the Week
Trentino-Alto Adige (Trentino-South Tyrol) is one of the 20 regions of Italy. What’s unique about this region is that its northern part, known as Alto Adige in Italian or South Tyrol in English, is ethnically and culturally distinct, with a strong German influence.
To give you an idea, according to recent census data, more than 60% of the population in South Tyrol speaks German at home.
Signs and government forms are typically bilingual (i.e., presented in both German and Italian.)
History Fact of the Week
In Italian, we have the idiomatic expression “una Caporetto” to indicate that something was a major defeat or failure.
This comes from the Battle of Caporetto which took place in 1917 during World War I. It was one of Italy’s greatest defeats but also a turning point for the country.
The Austro-Hungarian and German forces managed to surprise the Italians near Caporetto, killing over 40,000 Italian soldiers and capturing more than 250,000.
Hurt militarily and emotionally, Italy managed to snap back, replacing the incompetent Italian Supreme Commander Luigi Cadorna with the much more successful General Armando Diaz.
Led by Diaz, by 1918, Italy was able to bounce back and obtain a crucial victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, contributing to the quick dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Italian Custom of the Week
When greeting friends or acquaintances, Italians often exchange a kiss on both cheeks as a sign of friendliness and affection. This is quite striking to experience if you come from an English country where this type of greeting is reserved only for the closest relationships (if even that).
In Italy, if you develop a circle of friends, you might find yourself kissing strangers upon meeting them for the first time, as they happen to be friends of your friends. This is a reflection of the social warmth and openness of Italian culture.
Alla prossima (Until next time)!