Falling in love at wartime
November 1942. The paths of a man and a woman cross in a village in the south-east of France occupied by the Italian army. Federico Strobino is an Italian officer, Rima Dridso Levin is a Jewish woman of Russian origins who, alongside her sister Vera, fled across Europe seeking refuge from the Nazis, and it is love at first sight. In that area, relatively safe from the Germans and the Vichy regime, a connection arises. And after nine months, a baby was born. It is an unimaginable haven of peace built amid a suffering Europe. Until September 8th, 1943 when the armistice is signed with Italy.
With the Germans arriving and Italian soldiers fleeing, the Jews found themselves surrounded by danger. Most were arrested and deported to Auschwitz, a few managed to hide. At that point, the scenario dramatically changes. Strobino is forced to return to Italy, in Borgosesia. The two women and the child accompany him. Danger looms everywhere, but the officer succeeds in saving all three loved ones. The love with Rima will then end. But without detracting from the strength and intensity of this story. This very touching story is now at the center of the film “Falling in love at wartime” by Audrey Gordon, produced by Zenit Arti Audiovisive and Nilaya Productions, with texts and scientific advice by the historian Alberto Cavaglion.
On air last week on Rai3, with a preview screening at the Cinema Massimo in Turin, the film is based on the correspondence between Federico Strobino and Rima Dridso Levin made available by his son. “A wonderful text, extraordinarily rich in ideas”, comments Cavaglion, who has a deep personal relationship with this story, having met both Vera, a translator for Einaudi of some great classics of Russian literature, and Strobino, interviewed for his first book. He was a “Good Italian”, he had defined him in one of his columns Ticketless on these pages.
The film, made with the participation of Rai Documentari and France Télévisions, with the support of the Piemonte Doc Film Fund, Film Commission Torino Piemonte, is available for a limited time on Raiplay