The Italian Cultural Institute is proud to promote “Isola Bianca”, a special event part of the Avventure Siciliane II Festival. The evening will feature the screening of the documentary “The White Quarry” in Italian with English subtitles.
The event will take place at the Eolian Hall (836 Lygon Street, Carlton, Melbourne) on Tuesday 28th October 2025, starting at 6:30pm.
Avventure Siciliane II is presented by the Sicilian Arts Collective Australia (SACA) in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute Melbourne, Società Isole Eolie, CO.AS.IT. Melbourne, The Sicilian Association of Australia. Special thanks to ETHNOS Production.
The festival celebrates Sicilian heritage through theatre, music, storytelling, film and talks. The focus is on Sicilian language’s vulnerabilities, the socio-cultural, geo-heritage significance of the Aeolian Islands.
The White Quarry is a 53-minute documentary created for television broadcast in Italy and abroad. Co-directed by Marco Mensa and Elisa Mereghetti, it is an Ethnos TV with patronage of the Municipality of Lipari.
Synopsis
On the island of Lipari, a vast abandoned pumice quarry tells a story of industry, memory, and transformation. Narrated by geopoet Davide Sapienza, the film weaves together personal memories, archival fragments, and present-day reflections to preserve the fragile legacy of a site shaped by labor, loss, and exploitation.
Through the voices of former workers, local historians, and environmental advocates, the documentary explores how the island’s identity was carved into stone—and what happens when the industry disappears, leaving behind silicosis-stricken families and a contested terrain.
As the island faces competing visions for the site’s future—from preservation to tourism—the film poses a crucial question: can a place marked by exploitation become a symbol of sustainable renewal?
Link to the trailer: THE WHITE QUARRY – TRAILER on Vimeo
The screening will be preceded by an introduction by Professor Marcello Saija from the University of Messina. Prelude Aeolus performed by instrumentalist, Kelly Dowall, using ancient wind instruments; the Maori koauau pongaihu, the Turkish ney and the clarinet.
To learn more, please check www.sicilianartscollectiveaustralia.com.
To buy tickets go to https://www.trybooking.com/eventlist/sicilianarts, early Bird tickets end 28 September.