In the halls of the Uffizi Gallery, the great Venetian Palaces, or among the naves of the most important churches in Rome, Renaissance artworks conceal countless faces, hidden in plain sight: those of African and afro-descendant characters.
Who were they? Where did they come from? Why were they portrayed, and why did they remain unobserved until these days?
The Sky Original documentary The Black Italian Renaissance, written by Francesca Priori and directed by Cristian Di Mattia, discovers these mysterious characters’ stories. The analysis of artworks combined with documents shows a whole new side of the Renaissance: a complex, multiethnic era, layered in many different social classes.
Telling the stories of these people has been a fascinating research: for the first time international and prominent experts are brought together to reconstruct their identity and their role in society. Enriched with animated illustrations and detailed reenactment scenes, the narration finally shines a light on aspects of that period that for too long have remained unacknowledged, hidden in plain sight.
The film can count on an original musical soundtrack composed by Alain Diamond and Victor Kwality, capturing the main traits of both Renaissance atmospheres and traditional African tunes, mixing the two with modern electronic sound.
