Lion Roars At RAM Film Festival

Lion Television took centre stage at the prestigious RAM Film Festival, with two films selected for screenings in northern Italy’s cultural centre of Rovereto.

 Director, Duncan Bulling showcased The Lost World of the Hanging Gardens, a poignant exploration of Mosul as it rises from the ashes of conflict and terror. As peace has returned to thisIraqi city, archaeologists are flooding to the area, unearthing groundbreaking discoveries about humanity’s first true civilisation – the Assyrians. These new findings are vital for the people of Mosul, offering a powerful way to reclaim their history and culture which was so brutally targeted by Islamic State during their occupation.

 “As a TV director, opportunities to witness audience reaction in real-time are rare, and valuable” says Bulling. “See so many people captivated by the story of how archaeology is helping Mosul fight back from the tyranny of Islamic state is a powerful reminder of why it is so vital to make documentaries and to share important stories.”

 Producer, Marco Gangarossa journeyed to Rovereto to present an episode from Lion’s award-winning Pompeii: The New Dig. With unique access to Pompeii’s most significant excavation in a generation, the series followed archaeologists as they unearth new insights into daily life of a city famously frozen in time at the moment of its destruction. Their discoveries ranged from exquisitely preserved frescoes, to the remains of food prepared in the moments before Pompeii’s demise, and, perhaps most poignantly the intimate traces of the people who lived, and in many cases, tragically died in the city.

 “With director Elena Mortelliti, I have been lucky enough to work in Pompeii before, but nothing can prepare you for the moment you actually witness people’s houses emerging from the volcanic pumice for the first time in 2,000 years,” says Gangarossa. “This film is a love letter to Pompeii, and to the people working at the site. It was a privilege to share the emotions, challenges, and sense ofwonder that comes with uncovering new discovers, and new history, and it’s a real honour to sharethat story to an Italian audience here at the festival.”