There are stories we do not know, even though they have profoundly shaped our lives. One of these is the story of Cantacronache, a Turin-based collective of musicians, writers, and poets credited with the birth of Italian singer-songwriter music. From 1958 to 1962, they were the first in Italy to publish records and theoretical journals promoting a “neorealist song,” in contrast to the light tunes of Sanremo, capable of narrating both news events and existential themes. Thanks to the rediscovery of the original recordings from their first concert, held on May 3, 1958, in Turin, the documentary revives Cantacronache’s repertoire, inviting audiences to rediscover their lyrics - including original texts by Italo Calvino - through a refined animation of archival materials.

Director's note

Nel blu dipinti di rosso tells the story of Cantacronache through the direct testimonies of Emilio Jona, the group’s theorist, and Fausto Amodei, the main performer of their songs. From 1958 to 1962, Cantacronache were the first in Italy to compose “realist songs,” in contrast to the light tunes of Sanremo, thus becoming the forerunners of Italian songwriting. Rediscovering the experience of Cantacronache invites us to exist in the real world, to resist distractions, to act without giving up, to denounce the contradictions and injustices that make us unhappy, and to build the world we desire with passion, hope, and a sense of humanity.