Talking about our Cerro Torre evening...

I've read the text written by Jim Donini and I'd like to thank those who brought it to my attention. I've noticed that the TrentoFilmfestival evening dedicated to Cerro Torre on Thursday 30 April has aroused much interest and still provokes many thoughts. Perhaps we did not sufficiently publicise the fact, which we'd repeatedly stated, that we will concentrate on the human side of the adventure which encompasses the Torre and not certify the actual ascents. Others have the evidence and qualifications to do this. What interests us is understanding and help others understand why this mountain is shroud in legends which have slowly but surely grown, year after year, evening talk after the next, convention after convention, book after book.

This year the book by Reinhold Messner will rekindle new debates, new accusations, new interest around this theme. No one will accuse him of having exploited a non-existent 50th anniversary...

The Trento Festival could not disinterest itself in this topic. It could not let others talk about or ignore this theme which more than one person has already written a book about.

As we continue to repeat to all those who ask us, we do nott want to reach a conclusion and we are not even qualified to do so, we do not want to certify the absolute truth by providing evidence we do not have. Others are doing this, and every man is convinced of his reasons and reasoning.

What interests us is tracing the human story which has developed around the Tower, intertwining it with the history of those years which start after the Second World War and lead right up to present day. This story is also a story of Italian emigration to Argentina, of technological revolutions, of environmental battles, of confrontation between generations which since time began, in all fields, have been rightly carried out and amply discussed.

This is a story which, no one can negate, has been above all an Italian story, not only for Cesare Maestri, but also for Cesarino Fava, Walter Bonatti, Carlo Mauri, Casimiro Ferrari, Ermanno Salvaterra... to name but a few. It is for this reason that we would love all main players of this adventurous story to contribute to the evening, not to attack hypothetical adversaries, but to testify their importance within an adventure which has become unique thanks also to those who dedicated the best years of their lives, their enthusiasm, their energies.

Cerro Torre is also an extraordinary story which encompasses spectacular moments, heated discussions, provocations and doubts which only the great legends can give rise to.

In the hope of you joining us to celebrate Cerro Torre together.

Maurizio Nichetti