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05 September1938
Racial Laws
Author
Puccio Posse Ruth
Format
16mm
Credits
Flauto traverso: Eva Manzolini & Katarina Rose / Reworked by Michele Manzolini

End of summer in Montefiascone, in the hills above Lake Bolsena. Ruth Puccio Posse for the last remnants of the season brings her son to friends and relatives. The atmosphere is cheerful, amidst drinks together, in favour of the 16mm camera, and peasant dances and parties that we cannot say how spontaneous they are: indeed, it would seem that they are. An authentic and genuine climate then, like the good wine produced in the area. This provincial Italy expresses a certain gaiety, everything is going well and more. A toast is made, even if it is not yet new wine, it is harvest time as the start of the school year approaches. Massimo is carefree, he will soon be going into third or at most fourth grade. He will soon find the same classmates or not. Will anyone be missing? On this very day, 5 September 1938, as we are frolicking in pleasant Montefiascone, a few kilometres from here in the capital, Royal Decree-Law (RDL) No. 1390 'Provisions for the defence of the race in Fascist schools' is approved by the Council of Ministers. Soon, "No pupils of the Jewish race may be enrolled in schools of any order or grade, whose studies are recognised as having legal effect." People of the Jewish race will not even be allowed to teach. It does not matter whether they are good or not, the important thing is that they are not Jewish. The first racial law is thus passed, the step towards exclusion in schools is marked, there will be more steps soon. Who knows what our friends think of the film, but it is not appropriate to spoil the party on this day.

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