Single Class: $20 (Members: $17, $14, Free)
After wowing Hot Docs audiences with his course, Italy: Where Romance Meets Reality, professor Franco Gallippi will return to guide you on a brand new journey through six colourful regions of Italy. As he works his way up the Italian boot, he will use riveting film clips to examine the distinctive regional cultures and traditions that still endure a century and a half after the unification of Italy. Going through Sicily, Campania, Lazio, Tuscany, Lombardy and Veneto, Franco will provide a general overview of each region, and then explore the famous people, landmarks, monuments, and events that make each part of the country diverse and unique. He'll reveal La Bella Italia as you've never experienced it before.
This course is led by Professor Franco Gallippi, who completed his PhD thesis Calvino: Reader of Leopardi and Galileo at the University of Toronto in 2007. He was Assistant Professor of Italian at McMaster University for four years and currently teaches at the Italian Cultural Institute in Toronto. He is working on a book on Italo Calvino and has appeared in books and academic journals in Italy, Canada and the U.S.
Doors will open one hour before the first class. Registrants will receive supplementary materials in advance of their first class.
Co-presented by Istituto Italiano di Cultura.
Tuesdays May 31 – July 5, 10 a.m. to noon
May 31: Sicily: The "soccer ball" of Italy?
Ever since Ancient Rome, the people of Italy have dreamed about building a bridge to connect Sicily to the main land. Why has this bridge never been built? Is the boot literally kicking the island away?
June 7: Campania: Is Vesuvius due for another eruption?
The experts say that Vesuvius erupts every two thousand years, and we are due for another eruption. Discover a region whose culture is often described as having the force of a volcano and roam the Neapolitan backstreets that gave the world pizza.
June 14: Lazio: Do all roads lead to Rome?
Is the saying, "all roads lead to Rome", still valid today? Get a new perspective on an ancient saying that still contains some truth, and examine the romantic appeal of one of the world's oldest and most beautiful cities.
June 21: Tuscany: A land of die-hard optimists?
From Machiavelli to Roberto Benigni, the voices of this region have depicted its people as lively, witty and sly. Explore the region's rolling hills and sun-soaked vineyards, and uncover the secrets of the landscape that gave Italy its national language.
June 28: Lombardy: Home of the Last Supper?
A region known for being the centre of high fashion and industry is also home to some of the world's most famous art treasures. Traverse the streets of Milano and delve into the cultural gems hidden within the northern Italian countryside.
July 5: Veneto: Is Venice the city of the future?
What is the best way to experience the landmarks and canals of Venice? Franco will share his own experience of living in the Veneto region, exploring a space in which Italy's past and future co-exist.