From the legends of Su Scultone to the dragons of Korean mythology, passing through the ancient mines of Monteponi and a love story between two young people from distant worlds. Sardinian cinema is preparing to land in South Korea with "The Sigh of the Mountain," the cinematic concept by Cagliari-born director Filippo Arras, winner of the call promoted by the Sardinia Meets Korea APS association.

The project will be presented in Seoul from November 9th to 11th, as part of "Sardinia Meets Korea Week," hosted at High Street Italia, a showroom dedicated to Made in Italy in Korea. This will be an opportunity to introduce Sardinia to Korean audiences through the language of cinema, connecting the traditions, legends, and cultural identities of two geographically distant territories.

At the center of the story are Gavino Corraini, a young Sardinian photographer, and Han Seo-Yeon, a South Korean researcher of folk traditions, who arrived on the island with her father, who is working on a project to convert the historic Monteponi mines in Iglesias into a data processing and archiving center. A romantic relationship develops between the two, becoming the common thread of a journey to discover their respective cultures.

The case also addresses the conflict between technological innovation and environmental protection, with concerns over energy consumption and the impact of new infrastructure on an area deeply affected by its mining history.

One of the most evocative aspects of the concept is the dialogue between the popular traditions of the two lands. Su Scultone, the dragon from the legend of Baunei, finds parallels with creatures from Korean mythology, while the spirits of the ancient miners of Monteponi recall Sansin, the guardian deity of the mountains in South Korean culture. This interweaving of tales and beliefs offers an opportunity to highlight the affinities between two cultural heritages.

Through the stories of its protagonists, Arras also showcases the beauty of the Sulcis Iglesiente region, from its coastal landscapes to its mining sites, and the traditions and memories of local communities. The project will be illustrated in Seoul through storyboards, which will visually present the characters, settings, and significant moments of the story.

The selection was made as part of a call launched by Sardinia Meets Korea APS, an association created to foster collaboration and cultural exchange between Sardinia and South Korea. The international presentation could also represent a first step towards attracting interest from producers and audiovisual professionals, with the aim of transforming the concept into a cinematic work.

For Filippo Arras, a director from Cagliari, this opens an international showcase that also offers the artistic project the opportunity to become a tool for promoting Sardinia. A story in which the meeting between two young people becomes a metaphor for the dialogue between peoples and cultures, united, despite the distance, by legends and ancient influences.

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