Walking on Water (Camminando sull'acqua)

On November 4, 1966, the Arno River wreaked havoc on Tuscany and, famously, flooded the streets of Florence. The damage was incalculable, and countless artisans—whose skills had been honed and handed down for generations—would likely have had to move elsewhere for work while the city recovered from the ravages of water and mud. Enter Beppe Fantacci, a garrulous bon vivant, bold entrepreneur, and born diplomat, who devised a plan to procure donations from department stores in the United States to subsidize Florence’s craftspeople until facilities could be cleaned and restored, materials replaced, and production could resume. Instead of desperation and despair, Florentines responded in the flood’s aftermath with a spirit of unity, cooperation, and caring. Documentary filmmaker Gianmarco D’Agostino unearths and interweaves mesmerizing amateur color footage of the flood with vivid recollections from the children of key figures in the city’s response and recovery. WALKING ON WATER goes far beyond simply marking the 50th anniversary of a natural disaster, however: It honors Fantacci’s brilliant, selfless accomplishment and celebrates Florence’s remarkable resurrection. –Michael Fox