2011,
Italian,
Italy,
Lucy Salani,
Director: Gabriella Romano
Release Year: 2011
Synopsis:
"Essere Lucy" (2011), a documentary directed by Gabriella Romano, presents a poignant and deeply personal portrayal of Lucy Salani, the only known Italian transgender person to have survived the horrors of Nazi concentration camps. At the heart of the film is an exploration of the remarkable life of Lucy, who was born Luciano Salani in 1924 in Fossano, Italy. Through this documentary, viewers are granted a rare, intimate look at the struggles and triumphs of a woman who lived through some of the most tumultuous events of the 20th century—from the rise of Fascism to the brutal experiences of the Dachau concentration camp, to the societal changes brought about by post-war economic miracles and sexual liberation.
Lucy Salani's life story, captured in "Essere Lucy," is a testament to resilience, survival, and the pursuit of authenticity. The documentary is based on Salani’s autobiographical book *Il mio nome è Lucy. L'Italia del XX secolo nei ricordi di una transessuale*, which chronicles her extraordinary journey through decades of hardship and personal transformation. Salani’s memoir offers a unique perspective on the history of Italy, highlighting the profound challenges she faced not only as a transgender woman but also as an anti-fascist who resisted the oppressive forces of the time.
Born in Fossano, Piedmont, Salani grew up in Bologna with her anti-fascist family. However, her sexuality set her apart, as her relationships with men led to rejection from her father and brothers, who were steeped in the patriarchal and nationalistic values of the Fascist regime. Salani had to keep her identity hidden in order to survive the oppressive atmosphere of Mussolini’s Italy. Her journey through World War II began when she was conscripted into the Italian army, but after attempting to desert following the armistice in 1943, she found herself at the mercy of both Fascist and Nazi forces.
Her defection from the army led to a series of harrowing events, culminating in her deportation to Dachau, a notorious Nazi concentration camp.
During her imprisonment, Salani was marked with the red triangle, a designation for political prisoners and military deserters, and endured severe torture. Yet, her will to survive remained unbroken. In April 1945, as American forces liberated the camp, Salani was found wounded but alive, having narrowly escaped a mass shooting that had claimed the lives of many fellow prisoners. Salani's survival was extraordinary, and her story became symbolic not only of the struggle against Nazi-Fascism but also of the enduring strength of transgender individuals in the face of unimaginable adversity.
After her release from Dachau, Salani lived in various cities, including Rome, Turin, and Paris, where she became involved in the local transgender community. It was in the 1980s, after moving to London, that Salani underwent gender-affirming surgery, fully embracing her identity as Lucy. Despite this transformation, she chose not to change her legal name, honoring the name given to her by her family, which carried deep personal significance.
Salani eventually returned to Bologna to care for her aging parents and settled there for the remainder of her life.
Though she lived relatively quietly in her later years, she became an increasingly important figure in the Italian transgender movement. Her activism, combined with her compelling life story, gained public recognition in the 2010s, culminating in Gabriella Romano’s biography and documentary, *Essere Lucy*. The film highlights not just the personal challenges Salani faced, but also her role in advocating for LGBT rights and her enduring resistance to the fascist regime that once oppressed her.
In her later years, Salani’s public appearances and interviews continued to inspire, particularly as she shared her experiences of the war, her survival of Dachau, and her commitment to remembering the past so that future generations would not repeat the atrocities of history. Her legacy was further solidified when she was invited to participate in a 75th anniversary commemoration of Dachau’s liberation and received public recognition for her activism in 2022 by the city of Bologna.
Despite her significant contributions, Salani’s later years were marked by financial difficulties, and she found herself isolated from many in the local community. However, she remained an emblematic figure in the LGBT rights movement, even advocating for others who faced discrimination and marginalization. In recognition of her status as a survivor and a pioneering figure in the transgender community, there were calls for her to be nominated as an honorary senator in Italy.
Lucy Salani passed away on March 22, 2023, at the age of 98, leaving behind a legacy of survival, courage, and advocacy. Her life, captured in "Essere Lucy," serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality, justice, and the affirmation of identity. Through her experiences and her tireless efforts to ensure the horrors of the past are never forgotten, Lucy Salani became a beacon of hope for many in the LGBTQ+ community, inspiring others to live their truth and fight for a world of acceptance and freedom.
Gabriella Romano, who directed the documentary, is an accomplished filmmaker with a background in journalism. Born in Turin in 1960, Romano lived in London for many years, where she worked for various media outlets before returning to Italy. In addition to "Essere Lucy," she has directed several notable documentaries, such as *Son of the Desert* (1990), *L’altro ieri* (2001), *Ricordare* (2003), and *Baci rubati* (2021), co-directed with Fabrizio Laurenti. Through her work, Romano has consistently explored themes of memory, history, and the personal narratives that shape our understanding of the past.
"Essere Lucy" stands as a significant cultural contribution, not only as a documentary about an extraordinary individual but also as a broader reflection on the political, social, and cultural forces that have shaped the lives of transgender people in Italy and beyond.
Image credits: loversff.com
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