8 documentaries to watch during the Easter holidays, in case of rain or lockdown. We’ve learned to put the time we have to spend indoors to good use. So why not watch some stories of hope? The Aurora Vision productions – with my direction, my husband Alberto Beltrami’s soundtracks and Andrea Morghen’s work – all have this common thread: finding the light at the end of the tunnel, hoping against hope, recognising Easter behind every wall.
The Golden Trail. Franco Nones, the legend of a cross-country skier
1968: the snow in Grenoble turns gold for the first time for a non-Scandinavian cross-country skier. And Franco Nones becomes a winter sports legend. Franco’s sporting adventure is a reflection of the story of a whole life lived with courage in work, family and faith. A path that can help young people to find meaning and inspiration.
The Golden Trailwon several awards: the Best Olympic Values Côte d’Azur Sport Film Festival FICTS at the Sports Museum in Nice, the “Mention d’Honneur” Sports Movies And Tv in Milan and the Award for Life International Festival of Outdoor Film in Prague.
You can watch it for free on my FB page by clicking here.
Look Beyond. The courage of rugby player Ian McKinley
“There are two roads: one harder, one easier…” rugby player Ian McKinley chose the harder one, along with his family. A story of courage, determination and sharing. A long journey, from the accident during the scrum to the return to the rugby fields at the highest level. Making the documentary about Ian gave me the grit and not accepting ‘no’ as an answer in life. Look Beyond won the Guirlande D’honneur at the World FICTS Challenge.
You can watch Look Beyond on Prime Video.
Alganesh. Hope on the horizon – 8 documentaries of hope to watch during the Easter holidays
On the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea, after decades of war, another battle is being fought today: that of survival for thousands of refugees fleeing dictatorship. There are five Eritrean refugee camps on the Ethiopian border, and life is extremely difficult due to the scarcity of water, the lack of basic necessities, but above all the lack of a future. Three are the film’s protagonists: Dr. Alganesh Fessah, an Eritrean Italian, a life on the front line for her fellow countrymen on the run; the refugees arriving from the border: Ethiopia, a land that welcomes a million people on the run.
Alganesh has won 14 awards at international festivals from Chile to China, the US and Monte Carlo, India and the Salerno Film Festival.
You can watch Alganesh here .
Zanzara e Labbradoro. Life, hands and silences of Roberto Bassi. The birth of free climbing in Italy and Europe
Roberto’s life is made up of dedication and passion, a desire to discover new territories, art in designing routes and discovering crags in the Sarca Valley. His friends recount it in the film: Manolo, Jerry Moffat, Stefan Glowacz, Gianni Bisson and many others. You can watch the film for free here.
Zanzara e Labbradoro is also a book, just in Italian for the moment.
Jerusalem. Dreams and Reality
The project “Women of Faith for Peace: Jerusalem” started 12 years ago thanks to two women: Lia Beltrami and Hedva Goldschmidt, an Orthodox Jewish film distributor. So all participating women of different religions, important women in their religious environment, became friends and started to work together on topics such as reconciliation and dialogue. The first public outing in Israel took place in March 2014 in Jerusalem, at a very important event: “Dreams and Reality. Women of faith for peace”. The film explores the motivations and dreams of these strong and courageous women.
Jerusalem is available on Vativision
Ukon il Samurai – 8 documentaries of hope to watch during the Easter holidays
It is the story of the Christian samurai Takayama Ukon and his inner journey between the way of the sword and the way of the cross. The images of Japan as a land of beauty, mystery and spirituality tell the life story of a courageous man who can be a true example for the youth of today. Japanese spirituality is pure aesthetics, which enters you with every image. Ukon the Samurai has won four awards in the United States and Indonesia.
You can watch Ukon the Samurai on the mail VOD and on Prime Video
¡Viva Kino! Across deserts and borders between Mexico and the United States
“Explorer, historian, rancher, missionary and Apostle to the Indians’. So says the plaque on the statue of Father Eusebio Chini in the National Hall of Statuary in Washington, as the founding father of the state of Arizona. “Italian by nationality, citizen of the world by vocation’ is the inscription on his tomb in Magdalena de Kino, Mexico. In this time of walls and divisions, the story of a daring Jesuit who left Val di Non in the 17th century can draw attention to the centrality of the human person, without limits or boundaries, and to the ardent and tenacious faith that reaches the darkest corners.
You can watch in Englis on Prime Video. And in Spanish aqui.
The Wonderful Tapestry of Life – 8 documentaries of hope to watch during the Easter holidays
On the coast of Ghana, land of ancient kingdoms and route of the slave trade, lies the village of Anita’s ancestors. Her journey to her homeland will lead her to encounter the coloured threads of fraternity, new hope for her people and for the world. The encounter with a very ancient culture, old and new slavery, education for all, women as leaders, access to health for all, healthy water and food, memories and hopes, the path of faith as the only possibility of true freedom. These are the threads that, intertwined, create the new design for a more just society.
Anita Evelyn Stokes Hayford was Ghana’s Ambassador to Italy, Croatia, Greece, Slovenia and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the World Food Programme (WFP). During her mission, she promoted and facilitated numerous development projects in favour of the most disadvantaged areas of Africa, in particular women and children.
The Wonderful Tapestry of Life can be watched on Vativision. Do not miss 8 documentaries of hope to watch during the Easter holidays.
