What if staying put became the ultimate rebellion?
Castiglione d'Otranto, in the South of Italy. A group of thirty-year-olds no longer accept that the solution to the economic, ecological and political problems of the territory is always "to leave". They propose to the villagers who own pieces of uncultivated land, often felt as a burden, to put them in common. They decide to stay, to link their lives to the land and to invest in a value: being together. Castiglione becomes the village of restance. They cultivate ancient seeds and local biodiversity, they make decisions together, they develop a local economy. Accepting the shadows of the past, another potential of the place is rediscovered.
Cinematography
Sun-drenched Puglia landscapes that ache with beauty
Direction
Patient observation without preaching
Director
Alessandra Coppola
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The 'restanza' movement emerged in Southern Italy as a direct response to brain drain and depopulation, rejecting the narrative that rural life equals failure.
Director Coppola spent three years embedded with the community; several villagers initially refused to be filmed, fearing exploitation by 'poverty porn' documentaries.
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