GMT™ Halaesa-Nebrodi meets with Nicosia di Sicilia to develop unique experiential itineraries-Sicily

Forty-eight short films in competition, made by artists from different parts of the world, divided into three screening sessions; an evening dedicated to the nomination announcements and another dedicated to the awards ceremony. All enriched by guided tours of the Fiumara d'arte works, workshops for children, musical entertainment, and, of course, insightful tours of the host city: Pettineo.

These are the numbers with which the first edition of the Short Movie Fest, the international short film festival conceived and organized by the municipal administration and the Small Shaker theatrical association, presents itself to the public. It is framed within the much larger project called "COAST AND ALESINE VALLEYS: AN ITINERARY TO REDISCOVER THE VILLAGES OF CASTEL DI LUCIO, MOTTA D'AFFERMO, AND PETTINEO."

The project, which we have already covered previously (https://www.halaesanebrodi.it/Pnnr-attrattivit%C3%A0-borghi), born and developed with substantial European funding provided through the PNRR, aims to achieve the ambitious goal of strengthening the cultural and tourist offerings of the three municipalities through a series of specific interventions for each reality, yet interconnected.

Along this journey, which will unfold during the month of June, in addition to the Short Movie Fest, other interesting activities will come to life, such as: "Risalendo la storia" (Retracing History) (Castel di Lucio-Pettineo-Motta d'Affermo), "Medievalia" (Castel di Lucio, June 29), "Il filo di Arianna" (Arianna's Thread) (Castel di Lucio), "Residenza d'artista" (Artist Residency) (Pettineo), "1 km di tela" (1 km of Canvas) (Pettineo).

To expand the rich offer of events, interesting cultural and musical events are scheduled to be hosted at Palazzo Minneci (Motta d'Affermo), such as the upcoming Euterpe Fest planned for June 26, 29, and 30.

The three evenings of the Short Movie Fest will be hosted by the duo Alessandra Storniolo-Filippo Di Pietro and will feature the renowned musician and composer Nino Nobile and the comedian Roberto Anelli as guests.

The jury will be composed of Francesco Nucara (Director of Photography), Michele Tarzia (filmmaker), Giovanni Puliafito (composer), and the Small Shaker Theatrical Association.

Mistretta is ready to celebrate a traditional event organised by the Pro Loco Mistretta APS tourism association: the Sagra ru Cuddurune.

The festival promotes one of Sicily’s simplest and most authentic popular foods: pieces of bread dough fried and served either with salt or with sugar. This humble speciality has long enriched family tables across the island.

Bringing together flavour, tradition and conviviality, the event has received the support of Sicily’s Department of Productive Activities for the second consecutive year, confirming the cultural and community value of the festival.

The evening opens with the Amastra Folk Group, followed by Magic Salta, stilt walkers, soap-bubble performances and magic.

Tastings begin at 7:30 p.m. Live music is provided by Gli Assi, a popular band from Nicosia known for its energy and varied repertoire.

Here's the English translation of the interview with Francesco Modica:

Francesco Saverio Modica, Francesco to everyone, is a young archaeologist from Mistretta and the son of Vincenzo, a highly decorated marathon runner of international renown. However, Francesco chose to run his personal marathon between archaeological digs, at a very special pace that alternates between the frenzy of unearthing a discovery of exceptional importance and the meticulous slowness inherent in the delicate work he has chosen to do.

I met Francesco during one of the most exciting moments of his brief but already intense experience as an archaeologist. We found ourselves in Tusa, at the site of Halaesa Arconidea, during one of the few breaks from the excavation that Francesco has been following with particular passion, still electrified by an exceptional discovery that we will discuss later.

A Passion for Archaeology and Early Discoveries

Francesco, in recent months it's been really difficult to talk to you calmly: your work as an archaeologist keeps you very busy, and I'd like to understand better why you chose this profession and the results you've achieved so far.

"My passion for archaeology goes way back. When I was four years old, I visited this place with my mother, and from then on, I never forgot it. My high school years in Mistretta further fueled this passion. In fact, after my studies, I spent many of my afternoons visiting the countryside surrounding the town, rich with ancient paths leading to special places. I often stumbled upon pottery shards, exposed structures, and ruined churches, which only fueled my imagination. This slowly transformed into a passion and a desire to delve deeper. I earned my master's degree in Archaeology three years ago and am now completing my PhD at the University of Palermo. Throughout my university journey, I continued to explore the territory, this time in Sicily, identifying lands and areas that could potentially host archaeological sites. My master's thesis, which builds on work done about twenty years ago by Professor Burgio, allowed me to update the mapping of areas of archaeological interest in the Aleso valley, increasing them from 155 to 245."

A Deep Connection to Halaesa Arconidea

It's no coincidence that we are meeting at Halaesa Arconidea, an archaeological site not far from your Mistretta. This is a special place for you, and I'd like to know what connects you to this territory: you are clearly going against the trend of so many of your peers who leave Sicily to work elsewhere.

"Fortunately, my work allows me to live in my homeland, and I've been frequenting Halaesa for ten years now. Imagine, I live only 500 meters away as the crow flies, so my connection to this place is truly deep and special. Living in the territory, I am aware of the beauties it holds but also of the difficulties and contradictions it presents. However, I find it 'natural' to live and stay here. I deeply love these places because I experience them every day, in all their facets. Here, I am fulfilling my adolescent dream: to excavate at Halaesa and restore the historical truth to this very important site."

The Founding of Halaesa and its Roman Alliance

Let's talk about Halaesa: in 403 BC, Archonides of Hèrbitas founded a settlement that would later become the city of Halaesa Arconidea. Who was Archonides, and what were the historical reasons that led him to leave Hèrbitas and move, with his people, to this distant corner of Sicily?

"We don't know much about the Archonides: most likely, the founder of Halaesa was Archonides II, grandson of Archonides I, who transferred a large group of Sicels from Hèrbitas to the northern coast of the island. After the Peloponnesian War, with the defeat of Athens and the victory of Syracuse allied with Sparta, Sicily experienced a moment of great confusion: Carthage took advantage of the conflict by attacking the southern coasts from Agrigento to Camarina, Himera was destroyed, and therefore many displaced people were forced to move elsewhere in search of calmer areas to settle.

Hèrbitas, presumably located in the mountains between Nicosia and Gangi, welcomed a very high number of civilians fleeing the destroyed cities. However, it soon became overpopulated, creating discontent among the inhabitants and forcing its lord to transfer part of the population to the lands north of Sicily. Halaesa was thus founded, which, however, experienced a difficult period in the first century since the Carthaginians, meanwhile, had pushed as far as the mouth of the Pollina river."

Halaesa thus became a very important center of the Roman Empire, as evidenced by the discoveries made so far: what do the remains of the ancient city tell us?

"At the beginning of the First Punic War, in 264 BC, Halaesa decided to ally with Rome; in fact, it was among the first to do so. This allowed it to free itself from the 'decima' of tributes, thus leaving the grain quota in the city that would otherwise have been destined for Rome. Up to the first century AD, Halaesa experienced its best period because it was able to invest a lot of money in public works such as the agora and the sacred temples. In short, the choice to ally with Rome from the outset proved to be decidedly winning."

A Remarkable Discovery: The Baths of Halaesa

Let's get to the present day and the news of the moment: the fifth excavation campaign conducted by the University of Palermo has, among other things, brought to light a thermal area of exceptional importance that further strengthens the idea that Halaesa Arconidea, all things considered, is still yet to be fully discovered.

"We estimate that the total surface area of the city extends over 15.5 hectares, but the state-owned area is smaller, so further land would need to be expropriated. It must also be said that almost all archaeological sites have only unearthed a part of the ancient cities, and it's the same for Halaesa; it would take decades of incessant excavations to unearth the entire site. Regarding the recent discovery, which adds to previous ones concerning the agora, the sanctuary, and the theater, we knew of the existence of a thermal complex, but we certainly couldn't have imagined unearthing such an extensive and important work. There is still much to excavate, but certainly, we are facing one of the largest thermal buildings in Sicily."

A Lifelong Commitment

Francesco, a final customary question: for how long will the attractive force of your land be able to keep you in our territory?

"I think forever: I don't want to leave."

Neither do we, Francesco. Thank you.