PBS Celebrates Dante Alighieri with New Documentary
Coming to PBS on March 18, the two-part documentary Dante: Inferno to Life recounts the life, work, and legacy of Dante Alighieri – the Italian 14th century writer whose writings significantly impacted Western literature. By interviewing scholars and displaying archival material to recreate Dante’s Inferno to the audience, the film reenacts multiple scenes from Dante’s famous narrative poem, The Divine Comedy.
Born in Florence in 1265, Dante stands as one of the most influential literary figures in Western society. After facing exile in 1302 from his hometown, Dante wrote his poetic masterpiece The Divine Comedy and finished it shortly before his death in 1321. Thereafter, he became one of the first individuals to write and publish their work in vernacular, allowing for the uneducated masses to read poetry. Moreover, by writing his masterpiece in the Florentine dialect of the 14th century, Dante gave birth to the modern-day standardized Italian language. As an Italian national figure and world renowned literary, Dante inspired multiple writers such as John Milton, Alfred Tennyson, and Geoffrey Chaucer. Furthermore, his depictions of hell, purgatory, and heaven in his Divine Comedy significantly influenced Western art and literature.
The first part of the documentary provides a historical background of medieval Florence before Dante’s birth. Afterwards, it moves to his childhood, early literary and political career, and then his exile – showing the initial scenes of the Comedy. The second part presents Dante’s life in exile, alongside his two final parts of the Comedy.
Directed by Ric Burns and written by Riccardo Bruscagli alongside Burns, Dante: Inferno to Life was produced by Dante Productions and Steeple Films. Releasing next week, the feature raises awareness of Dante’s importance and contribution to the world as 700 years after his work, Dante’s texts still remain relevant.
Sources: https://www.pbs.org/show/dante-inferno-to-paradise/
https://www.ricburns.com/film/dante-coming-soon
– Diego Maldonado
