PRODUCTIONS: CLANDESTINE CREATURES OF THE CITY

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Dragonetti,Natoli,Visalberghi,Mecchia,Adilardi,Felli,Guarnieri,Mammolotti,Mohaved,D'Onofrio

SD Cinematografica

30'

16 mm

Since living close to humans, the original wild cat, once a strictly solitary animal, has profoundly changed its habits. Domestic cats who have regained their freedom do not return to the isolated, retiring life of their ancestors. Instead they group themselves together in parks and courtyards throughout the city. The ancient Roman monuments, with their thousands of cubby-holes, have become the stray cats' preferred dwelling place.
In addition to cheap lodging, the asphalt jungle also offers many animals free heating. Some birds who nourish themselves in the countryside and build their nests among the trees there, come to sleep in buildings in the city to escape the cold winter nights.
An army of clandestine creatures has secretly crept into the city.
The documentary deals with the various aspects of birds that live in the city of Rome. Amidst the baroque church domes, thousands of starling conduct an aerial duel with a peregrine falcon. A Penduline tit weaves its nest under a bridge spanning the Tiber river while a krestel looks after her brood among the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla. They have to put up with the disturbance of the notes of Puccini's opera, "Turandot". The kite snatches dead fish from the surface of the Tiber under a bridge heavy with traffic. Unknown to us, these and many other birds live lives parallel to our own. You only have to lift your eyes above the rooftops to see them.