NEANDERTAL - AVVOLTOI E RITI ANCESTRALI
NEANDERTHALS – VULTURES AND ANCESTRAL RITES
Stefano Zampini / Italy / 2025 / 5 min / Colour
Close-up images bring us face to face with the ancestral gestures performed by Neanderthals at the Solinas Shelter, better known as the Fumane Cave. This site in Lessinia is considered one of Europe’s foremost archaeological locations, a remarkable record of both Neanderthal and early Homo sapiens presence. The short film, created as part of a project by the University of Ferrara with scientific consultation from Marco Peresani, reconstructs the Neanderthals’ removal of the wing feathers of raptors. This unique perspective sheds light on their appreciation of beauty and their symbolic behavior, a glimpse into the world of our ancient ancestors who inhabited the mountains of Verona as far back as the Paleolithic. Scientific reconstruction is paired with a desire to evoke emotion in this educational short, created to promote the rich prehistoric heritage of Lessinia.
Stefano Zampini
Born in Verona in 1982, he made his first short film, De Rerum, in 2013, which won the Audience Award at the CinemaZERO Festival. He has directed and produced documentaries including Nel paese impiantato (2014), L’uomo di Val Rosna (2024), and Neandertal (2025), the last two produced for the University of Ferrara.
