Abruzzese Audiovisual Heritage Archive

The Abruzzese Audiovisual Heritage Archive was created in 2004 by the Department and the School of Communication Sciences of the University of Teramo in order to recuperate and study the audiovisual files of the abruzzese families. Since 2008 the Archive is one of the branches of the University of Teramo Foundation.

The archive focuses in the collection of family and amateur films from abruzzese families, life, society and land testimonies that will enrich the collective memory of the region. The Archive is a milestone for the recovery, conservation and restitution to the “society” – as well as private researchers – of the documents that tell the History of the Abruzzi and the abruzzesi from an unusual point of view, from the families’ perspective.

The functions of the Archive

he tasks of the Archive may be summed up as follows:

1. Collection and selection of the materials. Collection of films: families or single owners of films deliver their materials in various formats (generally in 8mm and super8 film, but we have also received films on different formats, even VHS cassettes in which films that are no longer available had been re-recorded). Examination and selection of films. Digitalization of films. Restitution of the original films to the families that had contributed to the project accompanied by a DVD copy of their material: this way every single family will be able to see again those films that have been for long forgotten in the attic. Indexing of the films that are now part of our project.
2. Study of the materials: the “short films” are studied from different point of views (historic, anthropological…) and used for a bachelor thesis, scientific essays or “video-essays” as well as for informative purposes. The Archive has currently restored and digitalized around 130 hours of amateur films. The image heritage ranges over various themes and self-representations regarding families and their collective memory. Apart from the traditional family rituals (weddings, baptisms, first communions), the images of the family films give us an unpublished chapter of the Abruzzese history. Last update: 09/10/2018

The videos

These are the available videos: home and amateur movies from many families of the Abruzzi, taken from the collections of the Audiovisual Archive of the Heritage of the Abruzzi:

On the beach of Roseto degli Abruzzi – Ricci Collection

Paolo’s baptism – Melasecchi Collection

Carnival and children playing on a field – Giovanetti Collection

Carnival at the town’s square and picnic in Scanno – Visini Collection

Emigrants in Caracas – Crescia-Fidanza Collection

One-day trip to Campotosto – Plebani Collection

Family on the beach and in the town – Di Palma Collection

Ferragosto – A trip to the Tremiti Islands – Ortolani Collection

“Feria del Levante”, Bari and birhtday– Visini Collection

Milan Fair, daily life – Melasecchi Collection

The funeral of Enrico Berlinguer – Giovanetti Collection

Student athletic championship – Plebani Collection

One-day trip to Campo Imperatore and people playing with snowballs– Cotogno Collection

One-day trip to L’Aquila – Verni Collection

One-day trip to Prati di Tivo – Plebani Collection

One-day trip to the castle – Tassoni-Balducci Collection

One-day trip to Pietracamela and the beach – Plebani Collection

One-day trip to the mountains and picnic – Allevi Collection

Serpents nests of Cocullo – Soccio Collection

The ox of San Zopito in Loreto Aprutino – Soccio Collection

The rope factory and the cows – Soccio Collection

Family trip to Piano d’Arta – Cudizio Collection

Trip to Catania– Plebani Collection

The thresh of the wheat– Fumo Collection

The thresh of the wheat in Loreto Aprutino – Loreto Aprutino Collection

Marriage – Infantino Collection

Civil marriage and children playing – Verni Collection

Christmas – Fumo Collection

1956 Snow – little Carla – Ortolani Collection

Panorama of Teramo and family Christmas – Berardocco Collection

Walking around Chieti and trip to Scanno – Visini Collection

Walking around Teramo – Plebani Collection

Friends at lunch – Verni Collection

Family lunch and procession – Allevi Collection

First Communion– Fumo Collection

First Communion, Father Pio’s Sanctuary – Pace Collection

Dead Christ Procession – Fumo Collection

8 September Procession at Poggio Umbricchio – De Giorgis Collection

Military service – Leonetti Collection

High school students– Picucci Collection

Teramo’s Roaring 20’s – Plebani Collection

Teramo and its churches; trip to Campotosto – Plebani Collection

Holidays in Roccaraso – D’Atri Collection

Visiting the Toronto friends – Renzi Collection

Visiting the Toronto friends – Renzi Collection

Visiting the Toronto friends – Renzi Collection

Visiting the New York relatives – Crescia-Fidanza Collection

Life in a small town – Verni Collection

Life in a small town – Verni Collection

Life in a small town – Verni Collection