Da la Presa Di Roma A il Piccolo Garibaldino/From la Presa Di Roma To il Piccolo Garibaldino : Risogimento, Massoneria E Istituzioni: L'Immagine Della Nazione Nel Cinema Muto (1905-1909)/The Risorgimento, Freemasonry And Institutions: Italy In Silent Films (1905-1909)

For some time now, historical studies have indicated how the nascent Italian film industry helped to shape national identity, acting as a pedagogical tool to revive popular events.

Many films made during the early years of the twentieth century focus on the relationship between history and politics, and the educational approach taken in these films was often used to paint an uplifting and conciliatory picture of events leading up to the Unity of Italy.'La Presa di Roma' (1905) - traditionally considered the first Italian feature film made by Filoteo Alberini, freemason of the Grand Orient of Italy, and 'Il piccol garibaldino' (1909) - are two important works that help reconstruct the relationship between the cinema and the Risorgimento.

They also show how powerful the cinema was as a propaganda tool in a Nation still in search of an identity.It contains essays by Lucio Villari, Giovanni lasi, Mario Musumeci, Irela Nu ez, Roberto Balzani and Sergio Toffetti on the two film films, on the nascent Italian film industry and on the historical and political scenario of that period.The book comes with a DVD of the film La presa di Roma and Il piccolo garibaldino restored by the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia - Cineteca Nazionale.