In 1983, Rossella Aquilanti moved to the abandoned village of Pentedattilo, in southern Italy. Today she is 63 years old and needs help with her farm. She met Maka Tounkara from Mali in a refugee shelter. The young farmer agreed to join her.
Calabria suffers from high unemployment. Many young people have had to leave the region. Rossella Aquilanti, by contrast, has created her own paradise here: 20 goats, a few olive trees and the magnificent surroundings are all she needs to be happy.
Maka Tounkara came to Italy on a refugee boat. For him, working with Rosella is an opportunity. The wages he earns allow him to support his fiancée back in Mali. Despite being very different, Rosella and Maka get on very well and work side by side.
The village of Pentedattilo, perched on the side of a mountain in Calabria, is falling increasingly to rack and ruin. But once a year it comes to life for the Pentedattilo Short Film Festival. The event draws cinema lovers, former residents, and inquisitive tourists, who have to walk the steep path up to the village.
Rossella and Maka are convinced that their simple, self-sufficient way of life could be an inspiration to others. The last two residents of Pentedattilo are hoping that other young people and migrants will follow their example and bring new life to Italy’s ghost towns.
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42 Comments
1st class. Thanks for sharing
I suddenly feel so connected to Rosella
Simple life,nature,healthy food what a beautifull life❤❤❤❤
That is lovely, what a kind relationship.
well time to buy some real estate there now,,since this documentary people
a ghost town with electricity ? it's a tourist town.
It is something that most of us are lacking. To live simply. I wish I could live simply and be happy and not wanting for more that could only give a fleeting happiness.
The beauty of goats, they eat almost anything green 💚🍏…
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
With only two residents, that "ghost town" has a most interesting demography.
male and a female
young and old
black and white
literate and non-literate
citizen and immigrant
muslim and christian (i supposed)
employer and worker
european and african
nomadic and rooted
Both hardworking and inspiring.
Maka is Muslim
Im retired USAF and would like to visit Italy Ghost town for the summer. How do I get in touch with Rosella? I dont mind working.
🏰💕😊 This documentary was truly heartwarming and inspiring! Rosella's resilience and Mecca's unwavering support for her are truly admirable. It's a beautiful reminder that simplicity and genuine connections can bring true happiness. It's my hope that someone will step forward and help restore this enchanting place, preserving its history and providing a better future for its inhabitants. Thank you for sharing this incredible story, and I eagerly look forward to more videos like this. 🙏🏽✨
why are people glorifying illegal immigration? He's not a refugee, even if he was the war in mali is over and he can return
what a beautiful place…but our town in dolomiti more convenient and full of water…I love contryside and self-suffient life…i have a orto backyard, garden and bought lots of fruit trees this spring, later could buy few chicken for eggs. then find a job…feel safe and confortable in natural environment.
❤
What a beautiful and peaceful life. ❤❤ I hope Maka fiancee will not change her mind after being supported by him and all sacrifices he has to make.
Lives a simple life , that is so meaningful❤
The only thing that this place needs for improvement is WiFi. The place is perfect as it is!
I take that back! WiFi will ruin it
Good she has watched over the village all this time
I would love to live here like Rosella & Maka❤❤
Lovely film, thank you to everyone who worked on this.
Voglio davvero vivere in quel posto.
And other places are very crowded
I'd rather live there give me a visa
I would like to live here. It's been a dream to live abroad. I love the sleepy , rustic, and independent life too especially that it's Italia. I'm okay anywhere as long as it's Italy. I appreciate Rosella and Maka as well.
Do they get electricity and tap water ?
God bless both
I felt really bad while seeing that beautiful town being called ghost town i felt like it's heaven on earth far from our busy and unfortunate lifestyle 😢😢😢
If italy starts giving residency to digital nomads , like d7 visa in portugal. Its economy booosts like super fast !!
I WOULD LOVE WORKING HERE BUT THERE SHOULD BE A TV & INTERNET & I DON'T KNOW MILKING THE GOAT
The Ghost World needs A Rosella and a Macca . Beautiful documentary! Hats off. Respect from Morocco.
thank you for this documentary!
There are a lot of issues in this film (i) immigration into Europe and the different people that come – Islam etc (ii) the drought and climate issues (iii) lack of work for Italians in the area (iv) her personal story – presumably never married nor had children which is part of Italy;'s problem with women having about one child only on average each although fewer children makes humans more sustainable of course (v) that this place is not typical – it was unsafe, so every moved; it is a not a village which is empty just because people moved to other places by choice. and finally the contrast to my country UK where everyone wants to come with our highest net immigration in the history of our county in 2023 of 600,000 a year and no homes, no abandoned villages, no space and still more and more people come.
Can you please let me know how to contact Rosella in Pentedatillo
Rrmarkable!!!
Thanks,
Rosella and Maka have been able to make a wonderful life in this rather difficult environment up in the mountains. But one wonders how many people this town can support with the water supply so variable. The availability of water may have been one of the reasons villagers left the place.
👎
Great