WESTERN AUSTRALIA, and Fremantle in particular, have been given the rare honour of having the story of their Italian communities permanently enshrined in Italy’s official record.
The documentary Italian Way: Stories – Future of Italians in Western Australia was screened in the Italian Parliament in Rome earlier this month, and last week locals got to have a look when it had an airing at Luna on SX. The function was attended by Italian consul Sergio Nicolaci, Italian MP Nicola Caré and Italian defence attache Colonel Marco Bertoli.
Mr Nicolaci said the film was produced by the Italian government to formally recognise the contribution Italian migrants have made to WA.
•Fremantle Italian Club president Fred Calginari, Italian defence attache Colonel Marco Bertoli, Italian consul Sergio Nicolaci, club vice president John Alberti, Italian MP Nicola Caré and deputy consul Emilio Sessa enjoy some arancini and pizza at the Fremantle Italian Club. Photo by Steve Grant
Prosperity
“We envisaged and produced the film as Italian governments, in order to celebrate the Italian roots of Western Australia and celebrate the beautiful community that has so much contributed to the growth and prosperity of Western Australia,” Mr Nicolaci told the Herald at pre-screening drinks at the Fremantle Italian Club.
“Therefore, this is a cinematic monument to the community.”
Mr Nicolaci said the decision to present the documentary in Rome was deliberate.
“We have presented this documentary… at the Parliament of Italy because we think it’s very important to bring the stories back to Italy, to let people in Italy know what the Italians abroad have done for for Italy, and also for the prosperity of the lands where they arrived,” he said.
Mr Caré described taking the film to Parliament as a symbolic act designed to preserve those stories permanently.
“We actually took it all the way to the Italian Parliament, which is the heart of the democracy over there, to show everybody and stay in the annals forever, of what the Italian community has done abroad, especially here,” Mr Care said.
He said Fremantle’s role as a port of arrival was central to the story.
“This was the first port of call after a month and a half of sailing the waters,” he said.
“It’s a thank you and a homage that Italy wants to do, and wanted to do for the Italians abroad, because they come here with nothing.
“They work very hard to give chances to their children to grow up.”
Embedded
He said later generations were now fully embedded in Australian society.
Asked what Italian communities in Western Australia might hope for from the Italian Parliament, Mr Care spoke of recognition and belonging.
“When they go back, at times, I feel like they felt they don’t belong anymore,” he said.
“Saying ‘yes, we went away. Our lives have changed. Our experiences have changed, but do not forget us’.”
Mr Nicolaci said the documentary also served to introduce Western Australia to audiences in Italy.
“Perth is a very rich capital, but very relatively less known than the east coast,” he said.
“So in Italy, we know very well Sydney, but Perth slightly less.”
He said the film could help strengthen ties between Italy and Western Australia through tourism and economic exchange.
Fremantle Italian Club vice president John Alberti said the Italian government chose an expatriate community to focus on each year, but WA was the first to have its history enshrined in the Parliament’s official record.
by STEVE GRANT