La terra dei figli

Mljet is an island in Croatia, where part of my family comes from. Mljet is a part of who I am, just as Rome—my hometown—is. But when your heart is divided between two places that are so paradoxically different, it becomes impossible to decide where you truly belong.

Your first encounter with the island of Mljet stays with you forever. Its hills, its sea, and its unspoiled nature are deeply woven into my memories, as are its people—always cheerful and ready to celebrate every occasion. Looking at the island today, it appears much the same as it did a hundred years ago. Its trades and traditions have remained unchanged, passed down from one generation to the next. It is not uncommon to meet teenagers working as shepherds or fishermen.

My research is an emotional exploration that seeks to uncover the deeper meaning behind the island’s powerful pull on this generation—a generation drawn to a way of life that, in a modern society like ours, might otherwise be considered a relic of the past.