Sonaggios
The documentary rises from the artisans of Tonara and the Floris and Sulis families — campanacci, gestures, time and community. Co-written with Marcello Fois.
Sonaggios enters the workshop of the artisans of Tonara — the Floris and Sulis families — where campanacci are shaped by hands, hammers, folded sheet metal and listening. The film is a portrait of work and of the life built around it.
Pietro Mereu avoids the frontal interview and chooses an observational approach: he moves inside the time of his subjects and films gesture before words. Written with Marcello Fois, with cinematography by Samir Ljuma, it had its world premiere at the 2025 San Francisco International Film Festival.
Sonaggios (The Ancient Art of Bells)
A documentary film by Pietro Mereu
In the deepest heart of Barbagia, the remote village of Tonara preserves a millenary secret on the brink of extinction. “Sonaggios” (the unique local dialect term for cattle bells) tells the powerful story of the last two remaining families of artisans, the Floris and the Sulis. Divided by contrasting philosophies but bound by the exact same destiny, they fight every day to keep the hand-forged manufacturing of metal alive.
Pietro Mereu’s film transcends standard documentary filmmaking, unfolding as a lyrical and deeply anthropological masterpiece. These bells are far more than mere tools: they dictate the synchronized, heavy steps of the iconic Mamuthones during archaic carnivals, soothe livestock, deter thieves, and represent a symbol of prestige and honor among local shepherds. Enhanced by the striking cinematography of Samir Ljuma (Oscar-nominated for Honeyland) and co-written with acclaimed author Marcello Fois, “Sonaggios” explores the universal resistance of an ancient world standing defiant against modern globalization.
Director’s Statement (Pietro Mereu):
“The sonaggios are the voice and the soundtrack of the innermost Sardinia. Filming in Tonara felt like documenting a historical alchemical ritual, where fire, iron, and the craftsman’s perfect ear forge an immortal acoustic identity.”
Technical Specifications
- Director: Pietro Mereu
- Screenplay: Pietro Mereu, Marcello Fois
- Director of Photography: Samir Ljuma
- Running Time: 84 mins
- Production Companies: Velvet Cut, Megafun, Terra de Punt
- Supported by: Fondazione Sardegna Film Commission, Telefilm Canada, Region of Sardinia
“A documentary is something more. It exists to shed light on the world’s shadowed places.”Pietro Mereu← All works