25/P9: Sterne über dem Aostatal

Austrian premiere for an impressive Italian documentary film. Winner of numerous audience awards – the best proof that this film really touches and inspires its viewers! The story: High above the Aosta Valley, in the small village of Lignan, there is an observatory. Here, Milanese astrophysicist Paolo spends the winter alone with the stars. His only companion is the robot Arturo. But no sooner has he started work than the telescope breaks down – Paolo is forced to interrupt his research. To bridge the gap until it is repaired, he is given a new assignment: to survey the inhabitants of the surrounding mountain villages to find out how widespread scientifically questionable ideas and beliefs are.

His personal encounters force him to engage with people and ways of life that are completely different from what he knows from the big city and the world of science. These experiences open him up to an unexpected empathy – with the villagers and with himself. Director Leandro Picarella immersed himself completely in the place and its people for SEGNALI DI VITA. He lived in Lignan for weeks, building trust and listening. The result is a warm-hearted film that blends reality and fiction and breathes new life into the village community itself: since then, people in the village have been talking to each other more again.