PRODUCTIONS: BEHIND THE DUNES

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E. Armati, F. Armati, E. Stella

SD Cinematografica

30'

16 mm

We wonder if next summer you'll be able to bask in the sun behind a dune after watching this episode of "Wild side of Europe"! We discovered an incredible variety of insects in this strange miniature desert between the shore line and the Mediterranean scrub.
Amidst the timeless dunes created by the ceaseless activity of the wind and sea carryinf grains of sand landward, lives the most beautiful butterfly in Italy.
The Jasio is the largest and most beautiful butterfly in Italy. It is still a mystery why it has estabilished itself in this geographic area, since the Charaxes genus is usually found only in the tropics.
Also from the tropics come the jasio's splendid colors and magnificent wing pattern. The documentary poetically illustrates the biological cycle of this butterfly. We observe the infant caterpillar hatch from the egg with its strange snout, resembling a Chinese dragon. We watch it cover the leaves of the strawberry tree with silk to keep from sliding off its only source of nourishment.
Finally, after various mutations, the magic moment arrives when the fragile, velvety wings emerge from the cocoon and slowly unfold to reveal the insect's splendid beauty.