San Francisco celebrates the 150th anniversary of Italian Unification

Celebrations for the 150th anniversary of Italian Unification started in San Francisco on March 21st, in Union Square. After a short speech by the Consul General of Italy, Fabrizio Marcelli, who remarked on the importance of Italian unification, and the National anthem sung by children, people enjoyed a special birthday cake made by Emporio Rulli in honor of our country.

In honor of this important anniversary, the Italian Cultural Institute is presenting a series of events dedicated to the Risorgimento, the Unification of Italy, and the role these events played in our history. On March 23, the Institute hosted a presentation entitled “The Stories that made History” by Angela Benintende, Director of the Bibliographic Heritage Protection Division of Italy’s Ministry of Culture.

Many other events will follow at the Italian Cultural Institute, located at 814 Montgomery Street in San Francisco:

The Music of the Risorgimento
Friday, April 1 at 7 pm
A lecture by Mary Ann Smart, UC Berkeley, about the role played by music during Unification: from popular songs to opera. Presented in collaboration with the Leonardo da Vinci Society.

Il Risorgimento in California
Opens Friday, April 1 at 6:30 pm. On view through April 14 (Mon–Fri10am–5pm).
An exhibition of photographs from the Archives of Alessandro Baccari on the Risorgimento portraying the reactions of the Italian community living in California at the onset of the Unification movement.

Italian Unification: Transnational Culture and Discourses
Saturday, April 2, 10:30 am – 4:30 pm
Organized by Margherita Heyer-Caput (UC Davis) and Laura E. Ruberto (Berkeley City College), this day-long event features two roundtable discussions on “Italian Unification: Across Histories, Across Language” and “Italian Unification: Across Boundaries, Across Art”. Speakers are: Nancy Carnevale, Montclair State University; Simone Cinotto, University of Turin; Arnold Schmidt, CSU Stanislaus; Francesco Spagnolo, UC Berkeley; and Fulvio Orsitto, CSU Chico.

Film Series:

1860 (1934 – with English subtitles), by Alessandro Blasetti
Tuesday, March 29 at 6:30 pm
This film focuses on a character that nobody knows or will ever know: a patriot riding to get the assistance of Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Ma che storia.... I primi 150 anni d’Italia (2010 – with English subtitles), a film/documentary by Gianfranco Pannone
Tuesday, April 5 at 6:30 pm
A tragicomic journey into our history with material from the Historical Archives of Istituto Luce.

In nome del Papa Re (1977 – with English subtitles), by Luigi Magni
Tuesday, April 12 at 6:30 pm
The story of riots in Rome against the Pope in 1867, with Nino Manfredi.

Un garibaldino al convento (1941 – without subtitles), by Vittorio De Sica
Tuesday, April 19 at 6:30 pm
A story of love and friendship during the Risorgimento.

1860 – Salerno nella rivoluzione nazionale, a documentary by Lorenzo Gigliotti
Tuesday, May 13 at 6:30 pm
Produced by the Region of Campania and the Province of Salerno in collaboration with the Istituto di Storia del Risorgimento of the University of Salerno.

An exhibition of books and documents on the Risorgimento, published in Italy and in California, is also on view.
All events at the Italian Cultural Institute, 814 Montgomery Street, San Francisco.
Admission is free for Institute members; Tricolore card is required for non-members ($20, available at the door, guarantees admission to all IIC events from March 17 to June 2). Please RSVP in advance to 415-788-7142 ext. 18.

For further information, visit www.iicsanfrancisco.esteri.it