Revelstoke: A Kiss in the Wind was shown to great applause at the Revelstoke Peforming Arts Centre on Friday.
The movie tells the story of Nicola Morruzzi’s great-grandfather, Angelo Conte, who immigrated to Canada from Italy in 1915, leaving behind his wife and daughter, who was born after he left. Tragically, Conte died while working on the Connaught Tunnel in Rogers Pass in 1915, just before he was going to return to Italy.
The movie was very emotional as Moruzzi traced his ancestors journey, using it to tell the broader story of Italian immigration. He used the letters written by his great-grandfather to piece together his journey from Italy to Vancouver, then Kamloops, and, finally, Revelstoke.
Moruzzi interviewed historians, archivists, railroaders and other Italian immigrants to tell the story. Revelstoke residents Doug Mayer, Cathy English and Claire Sieber make appearances in the movie. Ron Lind, who passed away two years ago, also plays a key part by leading the production crew into the Connaught Tunnel to the spot where Conte died.
About 250 people attended the screening, which was followed by a Q&A session featuring Moruzzi, the director, Leonardo Baraldi, the producer, and Cathy English, the curator of the Revelstoke Museum & Archives.
I really enjoyed the film. Moruzzi effectively pieced together new and archival videos and photos to tell the story and was able to connect the past to the present through his choice of interviews. He conveys how challenging his great-grandfather’s life was in Canada, while also exploring his own personal journey.
If you missed it, you can watch it free online at tvo.org/video/documentaries/revelstoke-a-kiss-in-the-wind.
