35 years of the White Cross in San Vigilio di Marebbe: a documentary exploring memory, volunteering, and community.

A journey through the people, memories, and emotions that recount 35 years of service by the Croce Bianca of San Vigilio di Marebbe. A project born to preserve the memory of a community and look to the future, in the heart of the Dolomites.

Some projects are born from a commission, others take shape from an idea. And then there are those that, from the very first moment, you feel particularly close to, because they speak to the place you live, the people you know, and the community to which, in one way or another, you belong.

This is exactly how the documentary celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Croce Bianca di San Vigilio di Marebbe was born: from a proposal, a shared passion, and the desire to tell the story of a vital part of the area through images, testimonies, and memories.

It was Sofia who asked me to create this project, her idea being to transform this important anniversary into a story that transcends a simple celebration. My response was immediate. After thirteen years spent in San Vigilio, chronicling so many moments of local life through photography and video, I felt this project represented something special.

And today, as the documentary is presented during the inauguration ceremony of the new Croce Bianca headquarters, the story takes on an even more significant meaning. The 35th anniversary of the organization's founding marks a new chapter in its history: a larger and more functional facility, designed to accommodate its evolution and future needs.

Thirteen years of telling the story of San Vigilio through images.

Over the years, my work as a photographer and videographer in Val Badia has led me to chronicle many facets of this community: sports, especially skiing, the associations, events, and the people who help keep it alive.

From the documentary film celebrating the Ski Club's 80th anniversary to stories related to football, to local events and initiatives, I've always tried to do one thing: not just document what happens, but try to convey what lies behind every moment.

Because a photograph can freeze a moment, while a video can lead the viewer into a story, letting faces, gestures, voices, and even silences speak for themselves.

Talking about the White Cross meant tackling a different topic, yet one deeply connected to the life of the community. A reality often encountered in the most difficult moments, when time becomes precious and someone's presence can truly make a difference.

A story born from the territory.

The documentary opens with a look at the area where the White Cross of San Vigilio di Marebbe operates. The footage passes through San Vigilio, San Martino, La Pli, Longiarù, Antermoia, and Rina, revealing the places, roads, and mountains that form the backdrop to the daily life of these communities.

The Dolomites are an extraordinary landscape, but living and serving in a mountainous area also means dealing with distances, weather conditions, and logistical challenges that can impact response times.

In 1991, the local branch was founded precisely to meet the need to ensure a closer presence to the population, in a context in which the larger rescue centers were further away.

From this need, the story of its origins takes shape: a story of commitment, availability, and people who have chosen to put themselves at the service of others.

When memories become images

One of the most significant parts of the project was the collection of testimonies from historical volunteers.

Listening to their stories meant coming into contact with a memory made up of moments of community, shared experiences, difficult situations and tragedies that have left a profound mark, such as the tragic bus accident in the Gadera River.

At times, words gave way to emotion. And it is precisely those moments, the glances that change as a memory resurfaces, the pauses before speaking again, that make a testimony authentic.

As a videographer, you seek the right lighting, the most effective composition, and the shot that enhances the person in front of you. But there are situations where the most important thing is simply to be there, listen, and let the story find its own rhythm.

Not everything can be planned. Not everything can be planned out. During filming, you also encounter seemingly small unexpected events, but they can make all the difference in the field: the wind disrupting the audio during a testimony, a scene that needs reshooting, a cut that needs revising, or a shot that doesn't quite match your vision.

These are aspects that are part of the process and are rarely seen in the finished video. Yet, it's also through these attempts, adjustments, and repeated scenes that a successful story is constructed.

Sometimes, unexpected events also provide decidedly funnier moments.

While filming a fake accident along a trail, for example, we had prepared a simulation with a patient wearing realistic makeup. The exercise had been reported, but a hiker, apparently unaware of what was happening, found himself witnessing a scene that looked anything but fake.

While we were busy acting and filming the situation, even using a small drone, he even tried to shoot it down, convinced that he had to intervene in some way.

A surreal moment that brought a smile to my face and reminds me that, even in the most structured projects, reality can always surprise.

Telling the present and preparing the future.

To show what it means to be part of the White Cross today, the documentary delves into the section's daily life: its operational spaces, rescue vehicles, training, updates, and ongoing training.

The filming also involved several exercises, including joint ones with the Alpine Aid and the San Vigilio Fire Brigade, an exercise with the San Martino Fire Brigade and the exercise course dedicated to young people.

These are occasions that demonstrate how rescue is a team effort. Preparation, coordination, and mutual trust are essential elements in dealing with situations where every action must be carried out with care and skill.

Behind every intervention there are hours of training, simulations, and updates that often remain invisible to the public.

Through the images I also tried to convey this dimension: not just the intervention itself, but everything that allows volunteers to be ready when someone needs help.

Alongside the voices of those who lived through the chapter's early years, there's also room for those of younger volunteers. Recounting 35 years of history means remembering the past, but also understanding who will continue to carry that legacy forward.

The new headquarters, inaugurated precisely on the occasion of this important moment for the White Cross, symbolically represents this transition. Not just a new building, but a vision for growth: a larger and more functional space to continue training, organizing, and supporting those who choose to serve others.

A summer of filming, meetings, and behind-the-scenes work.

The making of the documentary took place over the course of almost an entire summer.

The work began with drafting the idea and building a narrative thread, and then continued with days dedicated to interviews, gathering documentary material, and filming operational activities and exercises.

Four days were dedicated to scheduled meetings and interviews, followed by four days of filming to collect images and reconstruct certain situations through simulations. These were complemented by several days of exercises, each with its own organizational and narrative requirements.

All this while I was also recovering from a cruciate ligament injury. The first recordings were even made on crutches.

It wasn't always a walk in the park, but when a project truly engages you, you find the motivation to carry it forward, adapting to the circumstances and seeking the best solution each time.

Furthermore, in a documentary shot on location, the weather and light aren't always what you imagined. Conditions change, unexpected events are part of the job, and not every shot can be technically perfect.

Knowledge of the territory, its lights, and its rhythms then becomes a valuable aid in constructing a coherent visual narrative. But I've learned that the authenticity of a story doesn't depend solely on ideal lighting or flawless framing. It depends above all on the ability to recognize what truly matters and enhance it through images.

Editing: when many hours become one story.

If filming is the most visible part of the work, editing is perhaps where the story truly takes shape.

In front of the screen, we find hours of recordings, lengthy testimonies, details, candid moments, and images collected over different days. The task is to find a common thread, give the scenes a rhythm, and choose which words to let speak, so that the story is understandable, engaging, and authentic.

It's a process of listening, selection, and patience. A sentence can be significant, but finding the right placement within a story can completely change its emotional impact. A shot may last a few seconds, but it takes a long time to place it in the most effective position.

The documentary was revised several times, with fine-tuning of sequences, narrative passages, and interview details. Even the small suggestions of a journalist, who helped refine certain aspects of the story, proved invaluable.

Each discussion added something to the final result and, personally, represented a further opportunity for growth. Because every project brings with it new skills, new perspectives, and the opportunity to improve your storytelling.

Special thanks go to Sofia, whose contribution was crucial from the organization of the days to the editing phase. In particular, her assistance with the Ladin language and in selecting and editing the various interviews allowed us to enhance the testimonies and give greater coherence to the story.

A project like this is never simply the product of a camera or editing software. It's the fruit of meetings, openness, collaboration, and mutual trust.

To at least partially support a project that required many days of preparation, filming, and post-production, we were also able to count on the contributions of several sponsors. This is an important support, which I would like to acknowledge and thank, as it allows us to dedicate our time and energy to projects that give back to the community.

A documentary to remember, but also to inspire.

The result of this journey is a video that aims to be much more than a celebration of the 35th anniversary of the White Cross of San Vigilio di Marebbe.

It is a tribute to those who have contributed to building this story, to those who continue to carry it forward every day and to those who, perhaps looking at these images, might feel inspired to take the same path.

Volunteering requires time, responsibility, and commitment. But it also offers the opportunity to grow, learn, meet new people, and become an active part of your community.

If this documentary succeeds not only in bringing back memories, but also in sparking the curiosity of some young people to get closer to the White Cross, then it will have achieved one of its most important goals.

Because telling a story also means being able to contribute, in some way, to writing the next one.

Thirty-five years of history, a new beginning.

The inauguration of the new headquarters marks a significant milestone in this anniversary year. A larger and more functional facility that supports the chapter's growth and addresses the needs of the coming years.

The documentary fits perfectly into this moment: on the one hand, the memories of those who were there, with the anecdotes, difficulties, and emotions of many years of service; on the other, the present of an organization organized, prepared, and ready to continue its work.

For me, as a photographer and videographer in the South Tyrolean Dolomites, narrating these realities means giving value to the area not only through its landscapes, but above all through the people who bring it to life.

Mountains may be the setting for an extraordinary story, but it is the people who give it meaning.

Behind every uniform is a person. Behind every intervention is preparation. Behind every association is a community.

Thirty-five years of memories, commitment, and dedication. A new headquarters, new perspectives, and a story that continues.

Because being there when someone is in need means much more than providing a service: it means taking care of your community.

Below is the link to the video.