The Monuments Men was a cinematic success thanks to director and actor George Clooney , who brought to the big screen the true story of a group of historians, scholars, and art curators who transformed themselves into soldiers during World War II to save countless works of art from the clutches of the Nazis. The film is now out on DVD and Blu-ray: to mark the occasion, this weekend will be Monuments Men Weekend , dedicated to safeguarding Italy’s cultural heritage. From June 6th to 8th, we can all join in the symbolic defense of our artistic treasures. How? In three different ways:
1) By sharing on your social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) one or more photographs of a monument, a museum, an archaeological site or a particularly beloved place, which you consider of interest, such as:
– Museums or sites of historical interest closed or at risk of closure
– Small museums and/or little-known places
– Difficult situations related to cultural heritage
It will be essential to publish the photographs with the hashtag #MonumentsMenWe to highlight those situations that need to be promoted. Invasioni Digitali , in collaboration with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment , will make a donation to the National Association of Small Museums , which will be used for one of the situations highlighted during the Monuments Men Weekend .
2) Organize an event in the very places you want to draw attention to, with a specially designed itinerary to highlight the beauty and architectural treasures hidden in the heart of Italian cities, from North to South. Simply visit the Invasioni Digitali website, follow the instructions, list your event, and promote it on social media to give a voice to these wonderful, yet forgotten, places.
3) By participating in the 3 Invasions already scheduled for the weekend by Invasioni Digitali in the cities of Turin, Venice and Naples and in the many others organized by individuals in the area to discover the lesser-known places of some of the most spectacular cities in Italy (all the invasions scheduled on the website www.invasionidigitali.it ).
A truly interesting initiative that can make us all modern “ Monuments Men & Women ”, just like Cate Blanchett was in the film , of which we offer you a short interview exclusively for Elle.it related to the film.
What makes the Monuments Men company perfect for a film?
This recovery of stolen art, in this case stolen by the Nazis in World War II, wasn’t done by one man, but by a group. And the book Monuments Men recounts the real-life experiences of these unique soldiers, unsuspecting and unlikely to be behind enemy lines. They are historians, art curators: no one did this alone, but as a group, divided into pairs. Most of what happens to my character happens alongside Granger, the character played by Matt Damon and based on a real art historian. I’m Claire Simone: we must learn to trust each other to get important information.
What struck you about your character?
Her story is fantastic. I think what inspired me most was that she was the least likely woman to undertake this undertaking. She had to record the provenance of the works, where they were going, so she could later trace them. But she was a minor curator and was given a truly unprecedented task. There were many stories like hers during the Second World War: ordinary, “small” people who accomplished extraordinary, great deeds. It is thanks to her passion and dedication—but also her fear—that we now have many works that would undoubtedly have been destroyed.
What do you think this film testifies to now?
I think it’s ultimately a lighthearted, cheerful story. After all, the film is by George Clooney, who is a fantastic storyteller: he always manages to find unique, unknown stories in well-trodden terrain. This film testifies to the value of culture: it’s what humanizes. War is ugly, it can’t be beautified: but in all that ugliness, beauty can be born. The beauty, for example, of saving art, of saving our culture, which is what makes us human.
What is it about this group of men that captivates audiences?
They’re all truly unlikely heroes… I’m thinking of John Goodman, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, but also Matt Damon, George Clooney, and Jean Dujardin, who is truly charismatic. You root for them! Throughout the journey, they never lose their wit and humor, and that’s what ennobles them in such a terrifying situation as the one they face.