Secret City to whom? Corrado Augias’ Turin has been defined as an “incomplete Bignami” by many Turinese on social media. Nothing to say about the opportunity offered by the well-known TV channel, about the program in general, about the culture and the polite style of the host. In any case, the themes developed by the show led to a lively debate in the city, fueled mostly online. The locations are varied. And not just negative: “It’s always important to criticize: This is the main sport of Turin,” as Alessandra writes on Facebook.
The issues that have been reflecting and dividing the people of Turin for years are emerging. “Why, for example, so much space for the medium rol?” asks Alberto. And then, why not mention the baroque Turin of the Savoy residences? And the social saints? Finally: what is the best image to represent and tell the story of the city outside of Piedmont?
The Rai 3 documentary reached 1,250,000 viewers with a 7.1% share. Few compared to the two broadcasts on the main competing channels. In any case, the number, in line with the broadcast average, should give us food for thought, because 1,250,000 viewers means a little less than the greater Turin area on a national level.
Mrs. Ornella best sums up what many criticize: “Disappointing – she writes on Facebook – I would have liked to see more about the history of Turin, instead I reviewed and listened to old little stories”. A not so veiled critique of the usual clichés that accompany the people of Turin: the magic city, the black and white triangle, the cinema statuto causing a massacre (referring to black magic). “Really disrespectful considering it’s 40 years in a few days,” writes Filippo. Perhaps this is the topic that tickles Turinese the most: do we still have to resort to these untrue anecdotes to tell the history of the city?
The doubt of many users is that they have removed material from the gripping story of Turin that does not begin with the Risorgimento. For example, from the baroque glories. “No World Heritage Site of the Savoy residences was mentioned,” writes Giovanni. “And where do we place Pietro Micca and the underground tunnels of Turin?” adds Francesca.
There are even those who dedicate a page to the topic in their blog. Such is the case of Augusto Montaruli. In his personal area, linked and reproduced almost everywhere on the web, he captures praise and criticism, pulls the strings and summarizes them in an article speech with an eloquent title: «Dear Augias, thank you, but…». For example, why talk about Salgari and not mention De Amicis? One user replies, “Why do you have to show all the blood lingering on the detail of the carotid artery that was cleanly severed with a razor?”. Can Primo Levi be told and not the others: Pavese, Ginzburg, Carlo Levi, Umberto Eco? “Twentieth-century Turin is what emerges first and foremost,” answers Antonio.
Can’t we tell of a neighborhood where Muslims, Jews, Catholics and Waldensians live and work together, even with civil and secular society? Then why don’t you talk about your coach’s racist persecutions over the Grande Torino? Can’t talk about the cinema born in this city? All the pride of the people of Turin seems to come out, as if the show has unlocked the city’s mind to describe itself.
Instead, everyone agrees on the images of Turin, many of which are offered from above. “Nothing to say, we are a beautiful city.” It writes Francesca, who is a spokesperson for a community finally proud of the show, which is on Saturday’s prime time.