Wings to Unfold

Launderers, seamstresses, cooks, actresses, gardeners. Daughters, sisters, mothers of all ages and backgrounds, united by a destiny of bars and concrete. They are the inmates of the lagoon, the protagonists of the documentary Le Farfalle della Giudecca, which will have its national premiere on August 28 in Sala Laguna as part of Isola Edipo, the event that each year accompanies the Venice Film Festival with initiatives dedicated to art, cinema, and current affairs, all under the banner of rights, inclusion, and sustainability.
Directed by Rosa Lina Galantino and Luigi Giuliano Ceccarelli, with narration by Ottavia Piccolo, the film tells the story of a women’s prison transformed into a social and creative workshop. A journey that has already gained public recognition, when the inmates guided visitors at the 2024 Venice Art Biennale and welcomed Pope Francis.
But the bond with the city is even more tangible: the prison laundries handle the textile supplies of Venice’s luxury hotels, a constant flow that makes the penitentiary both a recognized production hub and an economic resource for the lagoon, as well as a genuine opportunity for vocational training. The film gives voice to Monia, now on day release, for whom work has been a lifeline and a support; to Fauta, who came from Africa; to Rosaria; and to Paola, who at 68 still refuses to stop imagining a future where she can finally spread her wings. After the screening, a conversation with the directors will offer the chance to delve into the stories of these and other women, opening for a moment the door to a parallel dimension – one that exists right next to us.