From the north and south to Vietnam, 1967

Location: Various, Italy Various, Vietnam Creator: Franco Taviani The film is the chronicle of a singular demonstration, compared to the many taking place in Italy in support of Vietnam's struggle for peace and independence: a march started in Milan on November 4, 1967 by nine thousand people, organized, among others , by Danilo Dolci, by the painter Ernesto Treccani and by professor Rodolfo Margaria. The march then continued for twenty-five days throughout Italy and ended in Rome on 29 November. The film is built mainly around the stories of some of the march participants. The latter becomes an opportunity to show aspects of Italian daily life, during its journey along the peninsula, and of the solidarity of citizens towards the Vietnamese people. 01. The opening credits follow one another on the scrolling images, showing the preparation of the event. Citizens prepare the signs. Signs leaning against a wall. Pan of the gathered crowd 02. Archive images showing the landing of US marines in Vietnam, the suicide of monk Thich Quang Duc self-immolation, moments of the war and bombing in Vietnam, the victims of the bombing, the desperation of family members 03. Milan. The procession of demonstrators goes along a street, then passes through Piazza del Duomo (inq of the facade). At the head of the procession, we recognize Danilo Dolci, Ernesto Treccani, Professor Rodolfo Margaria, Vo Va Nai (?), A young Vietnamese woman, who is applauded 04. PPP of the faces of some demonstrators 05. Interior. Vittorio Battaglia, graphic designer, is filmed while making statements, continuing to draw at his work table. During the interview, images of daily metropolitan life in Milan flow by. Battaglia is portrayed as he gets on a tram, while reading a comic on the way 06. From a moving car, the march of the demonstrators is resumed, in the rain, near Pavia 07. Interiors of the opera house in Pavia, desert. Filming of the procession marching in the rain alternates with people who, inside the theatre, place signs with slogans against the war in Vietnam 08. Interior of a school classroom. Moments of a cartoon lesson to a group of children. The marching procession. Glimpses of street corners with parked protesters and signs. Shooting from a moving car: a group of young protesters stop by the side of a road. Inq of a couple (he is the cartoon teacher), sitting on the ground to rest and eat, along a city street 09. Interior of a house with a bedroom inq, where a young woman sits and combs her hair, and of the study where the cartoon teacher works at a table 10. Filming, from a moving car, of the march of the procession, at night, in the rain 11. Interior of the Pavia theater. Inq from the top of the crowded theater. On the stage there is a banner with the inscription: "Pavia for Vietnam". Protesters enter the theater 12. Interior of a house. A couple is filmed sitting on two armchairs: he plays the guitar. A dog is crouched at their feet. The same couple is filmed as they sit inside the theater. Inq of the muzzle of the dog howling, while the man plays the guitar 13. The procession of demonstrators crosses a bridge over the river Po. PPP of the faces of some demonstrators shouting slogans. Gigantograph of Ho Chi Minh carried in procession by a man. The same man is portrayed inside his home, in the bathroom, shaving. Inq of the kitchen where the wife and son get ready. Moments of the march. The man wears the jacket to leave the house. Moments of the march, Danilo Dolci in the procession. The man leaves the house with his son, both on bicycles. Moments of the march. PPP of the faces of the demonstrators. Father and son shot from above, in CM, from behind, while they ride a bicycle down a street, on a foggy day 14. Arrival of the procession in Bologna at night. The man is filmed marching and shouting slogans. Danilo Dolci, Ernesto Treccani and others, as they march, smiling and greeting those they meet. Inq of the man in his own workshop, at work with his son. Squares and monuments of Bologna from above. The procession goes through the squares and streets of Bologna. Inq from the top of a snowy road traveled by father and son on bicycles, who return home. Inq of the window of the house, inside which you can see the woman setting the table. Moments of the march through the streets of the city. The man and his son are filmed carrying out door-to-door distribution and sales of a newspaper 15. Shot from the top of the procession marching down a street in Bologna. Alternate editing: footage of the man and his son, distributing a newspaper, door to door. Inq of the marching procession, outside Bologna. The man and his son join the procession, running. The man carries a sign with the words: "American come home and stay there" 16. Sign indicating, at 100 mt., The place of the "Monument crypt-ossuary fallen massacre of Marzabotto". Effective PP of faces of inhabitants of Marzabotto. The procession goes through the streets of Marzabotto. The walkers meet the people of Marzabotto and hug each other, applauding 17. Inq from the top of the members of the organizing committee of the march, sitting on the side of a road, intent on discussing. People eat, drink, play guitar, take pictures of the group, smoke, rest. PP alternate with group totals 18. A girl, Maria Ponzi, is filmed walking through the streets of Viareggio. Inq of the building, seat of the Medical-Surgical School, attended by Maria, enrolled in Medicine. Alternating montage showing Maria Ponzi's daily activities, indoors and outdoors, alternating with footage of moments of the march. Sign, carried by the demonstrators, with a drawing depicting a marine with a submachine gun, next to the inscription: "US imperialism gendarme of the world. Middle East, Greece, Santo Domingo, Vietnam". Inq, with CM and CL, of the procession as it travels along roads between hills and meadows 19. Band of a country while playing. Night footage of the procession, with torches, and of the marching band. The images scroll on Maria Ponzi's daily activities, as she goes to the bookshop, consults books and political magazines, while she makes flyers 20. Views of the port of Naples at dawn. The door of the ship - ferry opens, from which the leaders of the march come out, including Danilo Dolci who greets with a smile and shaking the hands of local political authorities. Inq from above, from a window, of Naples and its gulf. The procession goes through the alleys of Naples, passing in front of the basses. Filming inside the bathrooms and warehouses of the Atan depot of Partenopea Trasporti, where one of the walkers works. The man gets into uniform. Alternate montage: the filming of the daily activities of the Atan employee alternates with those showing the march on the march. PP of the face of the Atan employee, as he marches. Children of Naples march carrying a sign with the inscription: "Johnson how many children did you kill today?". People at the windows, on the balconies, along the sidewalks, watching the procession as it passes. Dett of hands holding the sticks with the signs, during the march. Part of waving flags, carried in procession. Part of portraits of Che Guevara, carried in procession. He left some anti-American signs for peace in Vietnam. Part of the feet in march. Danilo Dolci, smiling among the people who applaud him, at night 21. Shooting, inside a low, of the activities of the family of the tram driver of the Atan, who presents his ten children. PPP on the faces of all children and parents 22. Inq from above, in the CL of the marching procession, as it arrives in Rome, at Porta San Paolo. Filming of the procession as it travels through the streets of Rome, passing in front of the Vittoriano. Inq from the top of some demonstrators sitting on the ground, on the asphalt, with open umbrellas, to shelter from the rain. Inq of the "bivouac" of the marchers, in front of the Parliament entrance in Rome 23. Alternate editing: silent archive images showing scenes of the war in Vietnam alternate with moments of the march through the streets of the city at night. Moments of tension with the cops