On June 9th, at the Palazzo del Bo, the seat of the Department of Private Law and Critique of Law of the University of Padua, we held the exclusive private preview screening of Le vie dell’acqua (“The Ways of Water”), a film written and directed by Fabio Masi and produced by Growing Production, based on an idea of our PI Stefania Gialdroni. After a year of intense work, it was incredibly moving to see the results of a project carried out with passion and perseverance by a tightly knit team composed mostly of young professionals.
Our goal was to strike a balance between compelling visual storytelling and the depth of scientific reflection, overcoming the traditional boundaries between fiction and documentary. We believe we achieved that.
The film explores key themes of our ERC project such as the role of merchants as cultural intermediaries, Venice’s central place in international trade from the Middle Ages to the Early Modern Period, language barriers, the importance of trust in economic relationships, and the evolution of new legal tools. These historical and academic elements are seamlessly interwoven with the personal stories of the film’s young protagonists, highlighting universal themes of adolescence such as friendship, family, and the discovery of love.
Special thanks to the professors who shared their expertise and whose interviews will be featured in a separate documentary (stay tuned for updates on this!): Andrea Caracausi and Elena Svalduz (University of Padua), Carlos Petit (University of Huelva), Matthias Heinz (University of Salzburg) and the expert of river navigation Maurizio Ulliana (Traditional Venetian Boats – TVB). And also, last but not least, many thanks to the Liceo Classico Tito Livio of Padua, the high school at the heart of this coming-of-age story, which opened its doors to us and provided us with the talent and professionalism of its teachers and students.
Le vie dell’acqua follows in the footsteps of the prestigious tradition of scientific-educational cinema, which between 1956 and 1975 was at the heart of the Rassegna internazionale del film scientifico-didattico dell’Università di Padova (the International Festival of Scientific-Didactic Film of the University of Padua) in collaboration with the Venice International Film Festival (Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia). Back then, this kind of cinema was often viewed as purely “instrumental,” disconnected from artistic evaluation. Today, Fabio Masi’s work convincingly demonstrates that scientific and educational value can coexist with strong artistic vision, resulting in a culturally rich and authentically cinematic piece of work.
Entirely funded by the European Union (ERC), the film has already received institutional support from the City of Padua and the City of Venice, the Venice Film Commission, the Veneto Film Commission, and the University of Padua (represented by its Rector, prof. Daniela Mapelli), particularly its Department of Private Law and Critique of Law (in the person of its Director, prof. Manlio Miele).
THANKS to all the people who worked to let this little miracle happen.
Now, the film is ready to continue its journey. We will keep you updated!
Photo by @alcideboaretto
Front row, starting from the left: Valerio Di Maggio (soundtrack composer), Michele Caschera (Growing production, drone and general organization), Fabio Masi (director), Corrado Tatangelo (Growing production, director of photography), Benedetto Orestini (Growing production, assistant director and film editing), Marco Miele (sound engineer).
Second row, starting from the left: Rebecca Gazzola (actress), Stefania Gialdroni (PI of the project), Alessia Tersigni (script supervisor).
Third row, starting from the left: Elena Mastracco (make-up artist), Alessio Casarin (actor), Biagio Cianci (Alessia’s dad and psychological support), Matteo Curseri (actor), Ariele Vincenti (actor), Alessia Cianci (actress), Claudia Michelazzo (actress), Sofia Pelykh (costume designer).
[Most pictures of the gallery by Alcide Boaretto]
