Synopsis
Oppido Lucano, Potenza, mid-1970s. In a Basilicata that is still rural and archaic, a group of young people listen to, dream of and live progressive rock. In a damp cellar, within the walls of a town that seems frozen in time, they rehearse and hope to keep playing together, perhaps even beyond the region. Combining observation of the present with archival materials, the film traces a small story: that of the band Cianuro, which through rock music and hopes of revolution sought to give voice to the aspirations of a South caught between change and resistance.
Director's note
The story of Cianuro struck me from our very first encounter during the Studi sul Qui residency in Oppido Lucano. Starting from testimonies, materials gathered in the field and rare RAI Basilicata archives, the film reconstructs an experience that is still alive in local memory. It is not only the story of a music group, but also a key through which to read present-day Oppido: the conflict between innovation and tradition, the tension between belonging and the desire to leave, between youth, dreams and transformation.