JOURNAL ARTICLE

Weaving hope: Tonino Guerra, fables and utopian holism in Red Desert.

  • Published In: Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies, 2023, v. 11, n. 1. P. 61 1 of 3

  • Database: Film & Television Literature Index with Full Text 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Nespoli, Marianna 3 of 3

Abstract

This article analyzes the interrelationship between two fables by Italian screenwriter and poet Tonino Guerra—the kite fable and the island fable—in Michelangelo Antonioni's film *Red Desert* (1964). It highlights how both fables embody Guerra's themes of holism, collectivity, and utopian hope, contrasting with Antonioni's dystopian vision of industrial Ravenna. Although the kite fable was ultimately omitted from the film's final cut, its motifs persist visually and conceptually, while the island fable appears as a metaphorical refuge expressing a desire for harmony between humans and nature. The article situates these fables within Guerra's broader poetic worldview, emphasizing his advocacy for reconnecting humanity with the environment and collective dreams amid modernity's alienation and environmental degradation.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of Italian Cinema & Media Studies. 2023/01, Vol. 11, Issue 1, p61
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Literature and Writing
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:2047-7368
  • DOI:10.1386/jicms_00157_1
  • Accession Number:161098596
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