Muntruzzania, that’s how Elio died.
Eighty years old, most of them spent in Sicily with his lifelong friend, Manfredi. Both university professors and writers, Elio stood out, having also become a well-known writer over the years. Manfredi is deeply saddened. He is not alone — he has been married to Livia for many years — but the death of a friend at eighty carries a different meaning: it brings reflections. On the day of the funeral, he goes to church where Elio’s sister, Maria Concetta, is waiting for him. Together, they welcome people gathered to pay last respects. Manfredi hopes to find some comfort in them. But after a brief handshake and a few polite words, people don’t seem inclined to talk about Elio or the impact of his absence. All around him personal matters - of Elio, not a trace.
Among those attending the funeral there is Livio, a friend of Elio, handing out copies of his book to Elio’s former publisher. As if that weren’t enough, he also entertains a small group, revealing to everyone the cause of Elio’s death. Because muntruzzania in Elio’s case, it refers to an extreme stubbornness, worsened by old age, that turned into a fierce will to impose himself, so much so that it led him to decide when and where to cross the street — until he was hit by a driver who didn’teven have time to brake. And so he begins to reflect on how funerals have become places of networking. Manfredi had heard about it before - in fact, he had seen it on TV: crowds of people asking celebrities for selfies at funerals. Photos and posts shared on social media to show everyone that they were “close friends” of the deceased. What a bitter awakening for Manfredi, who had always thought such habits belonged only to the world of entertainment.
Shortly after, he returns to the church, and when the priest call him to approach to read his farewell speech, he decides instead to tell the story of the village where most of those present were born – focusing on the tradition of the silent band, once called to take part in a quiet procession during local funerals. A silent band, a paradox to some, a duty to the deceased’s relatives, who might otherwise have been accused of stinginess had they cut the cost of a musical band; yet, for many, a necessary act - a way to honor the dead and give sound to the oblivion of death. At the end of his speech, Manfredi urges everyone to remain silent. The footsteps of the silent band resonated, as it parades in procession out of the church.