AstraDoc Double Premiere: Revolutionary Cinema in the Heart of Naples
Cinema lovers, mark your calendars! 🎬✨
Friday, February 6 brings a rare double feature to Naples' Cinema Astra — two premieres that showcase the power of documentary filmmaking to bridge cultures, tell intimate stories, and honor revolutionary voices. The AstraDoc series, curated by Arci Movie, continues its mission of bringing thought-provoking cinema to the heart of the city.
A Double Premiere Evening
The night begins at 8:30 PM with an exclusive restoration screening that cinephiles won't want to miss, followed by the world premiere of a powerful new documentary from a Neapolitan director.
First: A Revolutionary Voice Restored 🎞️
The evening opens with the exclusive restoration of "Cap-Vert, un Carnaval dans le Sahel" — a short film by Sarah Maldoror, the pioneering filmmaker who became the first woman cineaste of African cinema.
Shot in 1979 during Carnival and May Day celebrations, the film carries the message of Maldoror's friend and leader Amílcar Cabral — founder of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde. Cabral believed that culture is the expression of history, the foundation of liberation, and a tool of resistance against colonial domination.
This screening holds special significance: the upcoming Berlinale will dedicate a major retrospective to Maldoror's work, making this Naples premiere a truly exclusive opportunity.
Special guests:
- Inès Foucher — Cultural Mission Officer at Institut Français Napoli
- Gina Annunziata — Cinema History professor at Naples' Academy of Fine Arts
Second: A Journey Home 🇨🇻🇮🇹
At 9:00 PM, the main feature premieres: "Waithood" by Neapolitan director Paola Piscitelli — selected for the Italian competition at the prestigious Festival dei Popoli.
This is the story of Mauro — born in Cape Verde, arrived in Italy as a child, and unable to return despite dreaming of nothing else. His identity — "one quarter Cape Verdean, three quarters Italian" — builds through continuous dialogue between memory and present, between the imagined island and the lived city.
The documentary weaves together:
- Observational footage of Mauro's real journey
- Archive materials from Sarah Maldoror's own films
- The Cape Verdean folktale of Blimundo (the ox who wanted freedom), narrated in Creole by performer António Tavares
Director Paola Piscitelli describes her vision:
"It's an on-the-road story between Italy and Cape Verde, where travel takes on an African meaning: as longing for what's lost, and as construction of real and imaginary geographies. The documentary observes the adventure lived by the protagonist — punctuated by dialogue between me and Mauro through the camera, attempting to know each other until we touch souls."
The film represents a new wave of Campanian production that doesn't just work "on" Naples but from Naples — connecting local stories to global trajectories.
Practical Information
📍 Cinema Astra Napoli — Via Mezzocannone
📅 Friday, February 6, 2026
🕐 8:30 PM — Sarah Maldoror restoration
🕘 9:00 PM — "Waithood" premiere
🎫 €5 general admission / €4 for Arci members
AstraDoc continues every Friday through April 24, bringing documentaries and guest speakers to explore current affairs and important themes through the sensitivity of cinema.
For WhatsApp updates, send a message to 334 68 95 990. 📱
Whether you're a documentary enthusiast or simply curious about the stories connecting Italy and the wider world, this double premiere offers an unforgettable evening of cinema with purpose. 🎥✨
This news item was collected from open sources.
Read original article: https://www.booble.it/it/cinema-e-tv-48/astradoc-prosegue-con-due-anteprime-napoletane-168072/article
