Il Buco
dir. Michelangelo Frammartino · 2021
Exploring the unknown can reveal profound truths about existence and our connection to the world around us.
A group of speleologists descends into the depths of a cave in Calabria, their journey unnoticed by the nearby villagers, except for an old shepherd who watches over the land. The film immerses viewers in a world where time seems to dissolve, inviting contemplation on the intersection of human ambition and the timelessness of nature.
During the economic boom of the 60s, Europe's highest building is being built in Italy's prosperous North. At the other end of the country, speleologists visit the Calabrian plateau in the untouched Calabrian hinterland. There, the young conquerors explore one of the deepest caves in the world, 700 meters below Earth, that no one had ever reached the bottom of. The intruders' venture goes unnoticed by the inhabitants of a small neighboring village, but not by the old shepherd of the Pollino plateau. His heart and soul soon intertwine with the group's journey. IL BUCO chronicles a visit through depth and darkness to discover the unknown, where time and space wither away.
Talking points
- the relationship between man and nature
- the impact of modernization on rural communities
- the significance of silence in storytelling
- generational connections to the land
