Ibridazioni: A Documentary on Liguria's Vanishing Flower Industry

The documentary 'Ibridazioni', directed by Alberto Valtellina and Maurizio Sapia, explores the decline of industrial floriculture in the Ligurian hinterland, specifically the 'Valle dei Fiori' in the Imperia province. The film traces the personal story of Sapia, born in Poggio di Sanremo to a family of migrants from Abruzzo, who left Liguria thirty years ago due to the harsh rural life, contributing to the abandonment of an economy that once thrived. From the post-war period until the 1990s, the region attracted communities from Abruzzo to develop a unique flower market, initially centered on carnations—which brought fortune to the Socialist Party during Italy's economic boom—then roses and peonies, now reduced to ranunculus, orchids, and hemp sold at high prices. The documentary, conceived by Sapia with Dario Ghibaudo and Chiara Padovano, is described as deeply political yet not nostalgic, revealing its themes gradually. It contrasts with Éric Baudelaire's five-channel video installation at the last Venice Biennale, which depicted the industrial flower auction in Aalsmeer, Netherlands. Instead, 'Ibridazioni' focuses on local wisdom, set against a landscape of aging population and potential redemption by new migrants. The film blends documentary and narrative, suggesting a hopeful future for the Ligurian land.