Story and Perform: Nicola Cazzalini
Music: Umberto Bellodi
Direction and Editing: Sara Passerini, Valentina Zanzi
The video won UNICEF prize at the international Competition “Cortisonici 2015” in Under 13 section:
«Marino underlines the right to dream each own future and presents the hope to reach every horizon, in a poetic way suitable for children comprension. It honors Italian Costitution’s 13th article that says “every child has the right to exprime hisself” and it respects the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child approved by “General Assembly of the United Nations”»
Marino used to live in a town, in a grey but very tall house. It reached so high it seemed to tickle the sky. His bedroom was right on the last floor: small but comfortable, with wide windows on each side. On the ceiling too! Really: from his bed, Marino could look up and see the clouds fly beyond the glass.
How wonderful to look out and feel light: Marino watched the blue of the sky and dreamed of the blue of the sea. As a matter of fact, it had been a while since he had decided he wanted to become a sailor with a boat of his own, ready to sail off to the horizon.
Once upon a day his teacher asked him:”Marino… do you know what the horizon is?”
“Of course! It’s where the sea and the sky kiss”
His classmates bursted out laughing: some thought that kisses are disgusting, some had always known they were stuff for aunts and grandmas or stuff for sissies. On the contrary, others had already seen that kiss and liked it, whereas some others hadn’t understood anything but were laughing all the same because laughing at school makes you laugh more and more.
So while going back home Marino though: “Why just wait to grow up? With a name like mine becoming a boat captain won’t take that much!”
He stole his grandpa’s white hat, took a blue-and-white-striped shirt from the drawer, jumped on his bed and decided that from that moment on that would be his sailing ship! Right… but what about the sail?
He ran to aunt’s and silently borrowed her broom, one with a wood grip: with a nice bed sheet tied to its end it could become a perfect mainmast!
Sailing is so beautiful! His sailing ship was the fastest in the world!
His dad’s old, round alarm clock was a perfect compass, a wine bottle (empty, for sure!) an underwater telescope, a light brown carpet a far away beach to be reached. And all around him sparkles and blue.
One day Marino was sailing on a sea so calm and flat it looked like a floor, when he saw a black bird fly and stop right onto his mainmast.
“Hey you! – shouted Marino – Get away or you’ll drop my sail!”
In response the crow flew down to his feet.”Are you Marino, he who wants to reach the horizon?”
“How do you know it?”
“Everybody knows! Though I am no seagull I flew here on purpose to ask whether I could come with you. I have always dreamt of seeing the horizon too.”
“Of course you can! Actually, we’ll keep each other company!”
“Marino!” alarmingly cawed the crow on their second day of navigation. “Marino, wake up! Look at that mount!” “Who?”
“The mount, Marino, that one sinking into the sea! I recognise it!” “The wardrobe?”
“Don’t you know the legend of the Wardrobe Mount?
Abisside is said to live there, it is a terrifying monster with 12 waves and 30 gurgles. Apparently it doesn’t want anyone to see beyond itself and its mount: as soon as it sees a boat it opens its gigantic and stinky mouth and it swallows it in a sip.”
“In a bite”, Marino was about to correct him.
But suddenly the sky got dark and the sea light green. Marino had never seen two colours so different but so similar. A strong wind started to blow, lightning and thunder were causing fear and disarray when the centre of the Wardrobe mount opened wide as if it had two doors, and cold and storm came out of it.
Abisside was frightful: instead of a head it had gigantic and noisy waves; sky lightning shone where its eyes were supposed to be; rather than arms, a wind rush tore off the sails; rather than a mouth, whirlpools chewed the boat smashing it with rocks and pieces of sea bottom.
When the sun came back and calmed the sea the Wardrobe Mount was closed again. The bed sailing ship was completely undone, its bed sheets crinkled. The aunt’s broom grip was broken.
From the city everyone had seen Abisside and the terrifying storm.
They were silently waiting at the sea limit.
When they saw Marino stand up and greet them with his crow friend on his shoulder, an ovation started: rounds of applause, scream of joy, an overdressed band even started to play a party march.
Marino continued his journey with the sun on his face: he, the sea and the sky were one. Hence, many people – mainly children – decided to start their own journey: some driving a suitcase, some riding a sofa seatback, some others flying with a tablecloth around their necks… the most brave ones surfing on a bidet.
Because from that day on the horizon looked closer to everyone.
