Masbedo's 'Pantelleria' Explores WWII Combat Film and Bombing

The new film 'Pantelleria' (2022) by the Italian artistic duo Masbedo, comprising Nicolò Massazza and Iacopo Bedogni, explores the narrative of a combat film recorded during the Allied bombings of the Sicilian island from May 9 to June 11, 1943. This work is featured in the group exhibition 'Penumbra' at Fondazione In Between Art Film, located in the Complesso dell'Ospedaletto in Venice, curated by Alessandro Rabottini and Leonardo Bigazzi, alongside pieces by artists such as Karimah Ashadu, Ana Vaz, and others. The 19-minute film employs the imaginative writing of Giorgio Vasta, who narrates his text, to investigate the emotional impact of the bombings. It contrasts original footage with modern architecture in Pantelleria, challenging the line between history and spectacle, and revealing how the second bombing, staged for cameras, was equally devastating yet often confused with genuine historical events. This project resulted from four years of collaborative research with the island's residents, reflecting on the fissures in official history and collective trauma, demonstrating the reflective potential of Italian art.