A Box Office hit in +400 cinemas across Italy, celebrated for its educational impact and contemporary relevance.
Directed by Matteo Gagliardi (Fukushima: A Nuclear Story), this visionary documentary reimagines Dante’s Divine Comedy through a modern lens, enriched by vibrant animations of 19th-century artworks by Francesco Scaramuzza. Guided by Father Guglielmo (Luigi Diberti) and Professor Argenti (Benedetta Buccellato), Dante’s journey through Hell is adapted to reflect modern crises such as environmental destruction and social inequality. With archival footage and reportage, the film highlights the enduring relevance of his vision while offering a message of hope and spiritual renewal.
For Dante’s Wondrous Vision, seventy-three animated illustrations depict the journey into the infernal realm, seamlessly blending with Dante’s poetry and the film’s other visual elements. An extensive video reportage explores the places connected to Dante’s works in Italy and around the world, both directly and indirectly tied to the locations and characters of the Divine Comedy. Archival images transport us into the present-day relevance of Dante’s universe. We witness Hell through the lens of modern society, highlighting phenomena like the crises and inequalities of capitalism, the vast accumulation of wealth for a few, and the absence of spirituality. Dante’s infernal symbols, like the terrible Lupa, reflect environmental destruction, resource exploitation, and oppression. Yet, Dante was not only a master of descents into the abyss but also of awakenings to luminous ecstasies of consciousness.
The film has received the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Dante Alighieri Society, and Save the Planet. It has been shown in around 400 theaters and is in high demand by schools across Italy, with nearly 60,000 students attending around 500 special matinee screenings.
Conceived and Directed by Matteo Gagliardi
Production by Starway Multimedia
Freely Based on The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
Screenplay by Federica Tonani; Matteo Gagliardi; Filippo Davoli
With Benedetta Buccellato; Luigi Diberti
Music by Fabrizio Campanelli; Enrico Goldoni
Director of Photography Antonio De Rosa
Scientific Advisors Dario Pisano; Riccardo Tonani
Paintings and Illustrations by Francesco Scaruzzi
Year: 2023
Runtime: 93′