South Tyrol, benificiary of financial aid until the late eighties, has
long outdistanced its formerly rich neighbours.
The economy is
flourishing, unemployment is low, the prosperity
ubiquitous.
In only a few years the northernmost region of Italy
has become one
of the richest in Europe.What sounds like a fairy tale in reality comes at a price.
South Tyrol has become a land of speculation,
where the highest offer gets the bid.
Nature is marketed recklessly, the Alps are
overrun by tourism.
Tradition and ancient customs degenerate into
mere entertainment, turning the land into an alpine Disneyland.
H€IMAT
is a film which has its starting point in South Tyrol, but South Tyrol
is only exemplary for many regions.
What is happening here is happening in
similar ways all over Europe.
The region is ruled by power and money, and
politicians often find themselves unable to counter this trend.
