ALL BROTHERS.
THE UTOPIA OF HENRY DUNANT
Year: 1999
Lenght: 40 min
Copyright: Alberto Cima and Italian Red Cross
Direction, screenplay, cinematography and editing: Alberto Cima
with the assistance of Paola Ratti.
Scientific Consultant: Maria Grazia Baccolo. Original music: Walter Frazzi
Financed:
Museo Internazionale Croce Rossa Castiglione delle Stiviere, Regione Lombardia, Provincia di Mantova, Banca Agricola Mantovana, Comitato Croce Rossa di Bergamo
Watch it on YouTube
Subject:
A lucid and shared exploration of the existential itinerary of Henry Dunant the founder of the Red Cross. The filming done in Switzerland, Tunisia, France and Italy, reveals the sometimes exalting sometimes depressing scenarios of his tormented life. In 1859 the horror experienced at Solferino, when faced with the slaughter of the battle between the Franco-piedmontese troops and the Austrians pushed Dunant to spread a strong message of humanity in the courts throughout Europe: the enemy, if he is injured is none other than a brother to be aided.
Henry Dunant was born in Geneva on May 8th 1828 to a wealthy Calvinist family. In 1859 he was at Solferino where the horror for the slaughter produced by the battle between the Franco-Piedmontese army and the Austrian army irreversibly marked his entire existence. In Castiglione first aid is given to thousands of wounded. The merciful local women throw themselves forward and help the suffering with no distinction between “ours” and the “enemies” because they are “all brothers” to them.
The shock of this disturbing experience comes out of every page of the raw “A Souvenir from Solferino”, which in 1862, Henry Dunant published to spread thoroughout all the courts of Europe and among the illuminated in power, a sentiment of rejection of war with its unacceptable ferocity. It was a great success. And only a year after it’s publication the first International Conference which gave life to the Red Cross was held in Geneva.
Review:
Achille Frezzato
All Brothers. The Utopia of Henry Dunant), is dedicated to the figure and untiring activity of the Geneva philanthropist who sacrificed his family fortunes to the idea of the Red Cross [fallen to poverty, he lived off a modest income which only just allowed him survival]. Cima, in telling the story of the founder of the Red Cross, resorts to original documents, photographs, and images shot in the places where Dunant lived (from Geneva to Solferino and San Martino, from Marseille to Zurich, to Provence, to Tunisia). There comes to light an enthralling story which “tells”, thanks to a “clear and shared exploration of his existential itinerary”, the greatness of a man who was wrongly banished in the shade.
Franco Colombo
Airy (the heartening blue skies of hope are often in the foreground as are the opal waters of the sea) and punctual (nothing is neglected, even if in a bare minimum, in the human story of Dunant), lively in the blurred panoramic shots, Alberto Cima’s film is a contribution which was needed to refresh the memory about a man who, not being able to abolish wars, thought to at least ease the suffering making possible those timely interventions which, for a wounded or sick man bombarded by the fire from the opposing sides, can represent salvation.
A lucid and shared exploration of the existential itinerary of Henry Dunant the founder of the Red Cross. The filming done in Switzerland, Tunisia, France and Italy, reveals the sometimes exalting sometimes depressing scenarios of his tormented life. In 1859 the horror experienced at Solferino, when faced with the slaughter of the battle between the Franco-piedmontese troops and the Austrians pushed Dunant to spread a strong message of humanity in the courts throughout Europe: the enemy, if he is injured is none other than a brother to be aided.
Henry Dunant was born in Geneva on May 8th 1828 to a wealthy Calvinist family. In 1859 he was at Solferino where the horror for the slaughter produced by the battle between the Franco-Piedmontese army and the Austrian army irreversibly marked his entire existence. In Castiglione first aid is given to thousands of wounded. The merciful local women throw themselves forward and help the suffering with no distinction between “ours” and the “enemies” because they are “all brothers” to them.
The shock of this disturbing experience comes out of every page of the raw “A Souvenir from Solferino”, which in 1862, Henry Dunant published to spread thoroughout all the courts of Europe and among the illuminated in power, a sentiment of rejection of war with its unacceptable ferocity. It was a great success. And only a year after it’s publication the first International Conference which gave life to the Red Cross was held in Geneva.
Review:
Achille Frezzato
All Brothers. The Utopia of Henry Dunant), is dedicated to the figure and untiring activity of the Geneva philanthropist who sacrificed his family fortunes to the idea of the Red Cross [fallen to poverty, he lived off a modest income which only just allowed him survival]. Cima, in telling the story of the founder of the Red Cross, resorts to original documents, photographs, and images shot in the places where Dunant lived (from Geneva to Solferino and San Martino, from Marseille to Zurich, to Provence, to Tunisia). There comes to light an enthralling story which “tells”, thanks to a “clear and shared exploration of his existential itinerary”, the greatness of a man who was wrongly banished in the shade.
Franco Colombo
Airy (the heartening blue skies of hope are often in the foreground as are the opal waters of the sea) and punctual (nothing is neglected, even if in a bare minimum, in the human story of Dunant), lively in the blurred panoramic shots, Alberto Cima’s film is a contribution which was needed to refresh the memory about a man who, not being able to abolish wars, thought to at least ease the suffering making possible those timely interventions which, for a wounded or sick man bombarded by the fire from the opposing sides, can represent salvation.
