12/12/2018 Simona Palladino (Newcastle University) ‘Creating History with People: Lents on Italians in Newcastle’ and documentary directed and produced by Simona Palladino ‘Age is just a bingo number

Time: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 4 p.m.

Place: Portobello Centre, room B57b

This presentation is based on an attempt to disseminate research findings in an accessible way. This refers to a project of public engagement that lead to the film-documentary ‘Age is Just a Bingo Number’. Featuring an ageing Italian migrant population in Newcastle, the film illustrates oral histories about migration, addressing themes of identity, attachment to places and ageing in the context of migration. The characters of the documentary gather in a recreational centre to play Bingo. This place, and the sense of community it conveys, shapes a ‘sense of home’ in later life and raises awareness about issues of ageing in the context of migration. Drawing on the documentary presented, it will be discussed how create history with the community of people engaged in the documentary research practices and beyond.

Synopsis of the documentary:

‘Age is Just a Bingo Number’ is a 40 minutes documentary that aims to promote social aspects of the environment for older people, by introducing the audience to a community of ageing Italians in Newcastle upon Tyne. Hence, the characters of the documentary gather in a recreational centre to play Bingo. This place, and the sense of community it conveys, shapes a ‘sense of home’ in later life and raises awareness about issues of ageing in the context of migration.

The documentary is funded by Newcastle University EngageFMS, the Institute for Creative Arts Practice and Film@CultureLab.

Simona Palladino (S.Palladino1@newcastle.ac.uk), the Institute of Health and Society at Newcastle University., has submitted her Ph.D. thesis and currently is waiting for her VIVA. Her research interest includes ageing and migration. Her research project is on Place Attachment and Place Identity amongst Older Italian Migrants in Newcastle upon Tyne. Using an ethnographic approach, this study explores processes affective bonds to places experienced and negotiated by people who are ageing away from their home countries. Simona studied Psychology, at ‘La Sapienza’ University of Rome, developing a great interest on Material Culture and Intangible Cultural Heritage.