THERE WILL BE AN ENCORE SCREENING EVENT ON MARCH 9 AT 11 A.M.  FURTHER DETAILS T.B.A.

The exquisite singing traditions and culture of the island of Sardinia, Italy!  Both films were commissioned in Italy and are directed by US-Italy Fulbright Scholars and ethnomusicologists teaching at UNM, Diego Pani (Italy) and Kristina Jacobsen (US).  Featuring a special performance by Sardinian singing group, ‘Cuncordu Monte Sindria.’ Q & A with the filmmakers to follow. 

"From Sardinia to New Mexico: Multipart Singing as Cultural Exchange” (15 minutes)

A Documentary by Kristina Jacobsen

From Sardinia to New Mexico explores an experience in cultural exchange between New Mexico (United States) and Sardinia. The 15-minute documentary follows the interaction between students at the University of New Mexico and singers from various Sardinian towns, reflecting on how learning traditional singing can act as a bridge for intercultural understanding. Through a personal and analytical approach, the film narrates a story of sharing and growth through the experience of oral tradition music and transmission..

"MANTÈNNERE - Holding the Sacred Sound" (55 minutes)

A documentary by Diego Pani

The documentary Mantènnere explores the cultural and social significance of traditional multipart singing in Santu Lussurgiu, Sardinia, focusing on the transmission of this practice between two generations of singers. The 55-minute documentary  follows the Cuncordu ’e su Rosariu, a singing group which has accompanied Holy Week rituals since the 1970s, and Sos Zovanos de Su Rosariu, a younger group gradually assuming this role. Set against the backdrop of the mediatization of traditional music, the film highlights the impact of numerous research campaigns conducted in the village from the 1980s to the present, which have shaped the evolving identity of these musical traditions. Told fromthe perspective of a Sardinian ethnomusicologist from this village,, the film captures the intimate emotional connection to these sacred singing practices. Mantènnere ultimately examines how ritual, music-making, and community are interwoven, questioning how tradition is preserved and transformed in the face of external scholarly and media influences.

The filmmakers are grateful to our event sponsors: AMP Concerts, Guild Cinema, Fulbright Scholar in Residence Program, Fulbright Italy, Albuquerque Italian Culture and Language Group, UNM Global Education Program (GEO), UNM BAIA program, UNM Music, UNM Anthropology, Sing Me Back Home Songwriting, Fondazione Giorgio Cini & Fondazione Hymnos and Talk About Records.