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Innocenti
"A story of solidarity that comes from the XV century, even now exemplary and alive." - CORRIERE DELLA SERA
PLOT: It’s 1410 and there is a huge social problem in Florence: babies are abandoned and dying at an alarming rate. To solve the problem, Florence’s humanists build a hospital for babies to assist young mothers. In 1446, to celebrate the completion of the new building, they commission a painting to act as the poster, logo and symbol for the new institute: The Madonna of the Innocents attributed to Domenico di Michelino.

Flash forward 600 years to 2013—the very same painting sits in a museum within the original building. Two women, an American and an Italian, are tasked with the restoration of the work to be displayed in the museum. Over the course of thirty months the painting is meticulously restored and new mysteries about its origins are discovered.

The restoration of the artwork was financed by Jane Fortune of Indianapolis through the non-profit group that she founded, Advancing Women Artists, headquartered in Indianapolis.
CAST: Nicoletta Fontani, Elizabeth Wicks, Lucia Sandri, Timothy Verdon, Eleonora Mazzocchi, Ottaviano Caruso
YEAR: 2019
LENGTH: 90 min.
GENRE: Documentary
RATING: USA: no rating

TIMES: Cleveland: April 6, 7:00 p.m.
  Indianapolis: April 13, 7:00 p.m
  Detroit: April 16, 5:00 p.m.
  St. Louis: April 22, 5:00 p.m.
  Chicago: May 22, 7:00 p.m.

 
  Please note, while the trailer may not include subtitles, the film will be screened with English subtitles.

DIRECTOR'S NOTES:     DB

David Battistella, born in Canada, is a director, writer and producer. In 2011, he moved to Florence to make a feature film on Brunelleschi’s Cupola.  Among his films are Luce e spirito: La vita sacerdotale di don Alessandro and the short Light and Silver: The Photographic Life of George Tatge.

Regarding his documentary, Battistella stated: "What I learned, and I hope you learn watching this film, is that the painting tells a much wider story, which extends far beyond the Innocenti, and really helps us remember all that is good and noble about humanity."

DISTRIBUTOR: David Battistella, Firenze      

Fondazione Innocenti