On the occasion of Book Day, the Centro Sefarad-Israel and the Instituto Italiano de Cultura of Madrid are organising a conversation on Friday 23rd at 5 p.m. on the work of Giorgio Bassani, The Finzi-Contini Garden, whose film adaptation won the Oscar for Best Non-English Language Film 50 years ago. The event will feature writers Jesús Ferrero and Manuela Partearroyo and Hebrew University of Jerusalem professor Asher Salah.
The play tells the story of the Finzi-Contini family, a Jewish family of ancestry threatened by the anti-Semitism of the Fascist government, who live a secluded life in a luxurious villa surrounded by a majestic garden. Alberto and his sister Micòl, the children of the family, decide to invite some friends to their home, after many of them have been expelled from the town’s tennis club. The protagonist of the story, a young middle-class Jewish boy, thus gains access to this hermetic community – apparently immune to racial laws – where politics and private life converge, and love blossoms between the boy and the young Micòl. However, the course of history seems to drag them towards a disastrous destiny, and they are forced to plunge into the abyss that opens up beneath their feet. The activity will take place in the garden of the Centro Sefarad-Israel. Places are limited, so prior registration is required via this link. The event can also be followed online on Centro Sefarad-Israel’s YouTube channel, at this link.
