“Valle della Luce” is a documentary film based on the book of the same name by Alessandro Gogna and Marco Furlani (Montura Editing and Altri Spazi, 2020) on the history of climbing in the Sarca Valley. It is important to stop and look at the stages of history almost 90 years after the first real ascent. Alessandro and Marco did this in the film with great verve, willingness and precision.
The very young Lucia Furlani and the sport climbing legend Adam Ondra accompany the story, marking the passage of a generation. It’s a bit like going back to the roots, a delivery for young people.
The historical value of the testimonies in the film
Alessandro Gogna, an alpine guide and a passionate scholar of the history of mountaineering, worked together with the famous Trentino climber Marco Furlani, to collect testimonies of great historical value. The archive interviews were recorded by Paolo Malfer and Diego Larentis.
Alessandro Gogna, an alpine guide and a passionate scholar of the history of mountaineering, worked together with the famous Trentino climber Marco Furlani, to collect testimonies of great historical value. The archive interviews were recorded by Paolo Malfer and Diego Larentis. In “Valle della Luce” there are: Adam Ondra, Cesare Maestri, Arrigo Pisoni, Gianni Bassetti, Reinhold Messner, Giuliano Stenghel, Sergio Martini, Maurizio Giordani, Manolo, Ivo Rabanser, Heinz Grill. Editing, based on a careful selection of original images by Gogna and Furlani, was done by Sabrina Santorum. The original music was composed by Alberto Beltrami. Production is by Andrea Morghen for Aurora Vision.
The story of the missing drone – story of climbing in the Sarca Valley
During filming there are always episodes to remember, this time it is “The story of the missing drone”, the drone of Giacomo Martinoli, who was part of the filming with Alessio Osele. On the first morning of work, the poor drone crashed on the rocks of the Limarò without leaving a trace. Giacomo and Alberto’s searches came to nothing. However, a slow and meticulous review of the last images transmitted allowed them to circumscribe the crash area. So the heroes of the Furlani and Gogna drone harnessed themselves and with ropes and tools succeeded in the recovery operation. The Romani brothers’ drone allowed the work to be completed.
Adam Ondra and his sympathy
The film, made with the support of the CAI – Centro di Cinematografia e Cineteca, Montura Editing and Garda Trentino spa, was made possible by the presence of Adam Ondra, who was very friendly and humble, and not only in climbing. He took the book “Valley of Light” up the walls, playing with Marco.
Where did the film on the history of climbing in the Sarca Valley come from?
“Valle della Luce” is a historical work which starts from a beautiful friendship. My acquaintance with Marco Furlani and Alessandro Gogna dates back to the early 1980s and is linked to Roberto Bassi, of whom they were both good friends. Bassi greatly appreciated Marco’s cheerfulness and often recalled their expedition to California in Yosemite, also recounted in the book and film Zanzara e Labbradoro. Roberto also left me some books with dedications by Alessandro Gogna, whom he held in high esteem.
Roberto Bassi loved the Sarca Valley very much and in his 1984 guidebook (Zanichelli editions) he wrote: ‘I thank the Sarca Valley because it exists’.
