33 Isole
From Ustica to Venice: Sailing alone to discover the future of Italy's small islands
Abstract
33 Isole (33 Islands) is a project based on a voyage.
An original voyage around all the small inhabited Italian islands onboard a small and bizarre sailboat with no cabin, alone.
A voyage in search of the future of these tiny spots rather than the echo of their past, a voyage with the intent to meet those young people whose strong sense of belonging has led to build up their ambitious, modern, or innovative dreams right in the islands. The picture of a piece of Italy and of the Mediterranean apparently marginal yet real, alive. Important.
Lucio, the man behind the project, left onboard Maribelle, the sailboat, on April, 15 2018 from Palermo (Sicily). After more than 2800 nautical miles and about 90 interviews, he reached the Venice Lagoon on August, 23 2018.
He did visit 33 islands and satisfied, for the time being at least, his thirst for adventure.
The Book(s)
Lucio has written a book about his voyage. It was published in two volumes in March 2023 by the Italian label Mursia.
It is available in all the Italian online stores, also in the eBook format, and in our cherished actual book stores.
The book is searching for a foreign publisher to be translated and thus spread around the Mediterranean Sea countries, at least…
The documentary film
From the video footage shot during the journey, a film documentary has been realized and released in 2025.
It is directed by Donald Wilson, a Peruvian señor whom I met by sheer coincidence one year before the departure and who has been enthusiastic about the idea since then. The film has later being written and edited by Alberto Bougleux, who was already passionate about small islands and who has tenaciously believed in the project.
Finally, the production is by two American societies, Bonnemaison and Ed Media.
Palermo, 15 April - Venice, 23 August 2018
