Fearless young women

Margherita Hack, Denise Garofalo, Franca Rame, Franca Viola, the ten teachers from the Marche region, Ilaria Alpi, Alda Merini, Teresa Mattei. All women, all from Italy, all very different yet fiercely independent, unconventional, brave. A work for all girls and women, but also for boys and men, giving them the chance to appreciate female courage – never obvious yet always inestimable. A work that, above all, includes invaluable accounts, such as Margherita Hack's childhood memories and Franca Rame's inspiring life story and up to the deeds of Franca Viola and Denise Garofalo – the former battled to criminalise sexual violence and the latter lost her life fighting the 'Ndrangheta – as well as the accomplishments of poet Alda Merini, partisan Teresa Mattei and many others. All women demanding the world to acknowledge their dreams and their rights, sometimes paying a very high price for it, other times living life on their own terms. Their actions forged new frontiers, tore down walls, suppressed prejudice and, above all, paved the way for every future woman whose biggest dream was freedom. Through stills, memories and words, Daniela Palumbo paints unique portraits of these great women, narrating the battles of yesterday, on which rest the rights conquered today – and rights are for everyone, regardless of gender, as journalist Vichi De Marchi would say.

Noi, ragazze senza paura (Fearless young women)
by Daniela Palumbo
Edizioni Piemme, 2017