Le Note della Terra

Set in the remote mountains of Abruzzo, Mammola is a poetic and intimate documentary about Francesco Mammola, a renowned mandolinist who chose not to leave his land. Born in the village of Pescocostanzo in 1989, Francesco learned to play the mandolin from elderly street musicians after a tragic accident in the 1950s had silenced the town’s cultural life. A passionate autodidact, he rose to international fame — but instead of moving away, he stayed.

Through his music and teaching, Francesco has regenerated an entire territory, offering hope and opportunity to the young people of Alto Sangro. In 2018, he founded a music academy affiliated with the L’Aquila Conservatory, where over fifty students now study. He also directs the youth orchestra of the local high school, bringing music to places where no formal education in the arts existed before.

Mammola is not just the portrait of a man, but the story of a land reborn through culture. From the memory of a broken choir to the laughter of new generations learning to play, the film moves between past and present, between silence and sound. It is a story of rural resilience, of staying rather than escaping, and of how one person’s choice to remain — and to create — can transform an entire community.

Told with a delicate, immersive visual style and accompanied by original mandolin compositions, Mammola explores the invisible threads connecting people, music, and place. It is a film about belonging, legacy, and the transformative power of art.