TOWARDS A DIGITAL KNOWLEDGE ECOSYSTEM: BOTTOM-UP EDUCATION IN THE NATIONAL PORTAL OF CESARE ZAVATTINI’S WORKS

The integration of media, history, and digital practices has transformed how historical knowledge is produced and shared. Within Digital Humanities, digital archives act as dynamic environments where memory is renewed through interactive narratives and participatory systems. Cinema plays a key role in preserving and interpreting collective memory. This research examines the National Portal of Cesare Zavattini’s Works as a case study of digital film archives. Zavattini, a central figure of Italian Neorealism, viewed cinema as a tool to represent reality and shape social identity. The portal aims to provide a Public History model that makes archival materials accessible, especially to younger audiences, through collaborative narratives. The project involved digitising and cataloguing film documents from the Panizzi Library, organising them into a database enriched with critical notes and innovative tools such as thematic pathways and data visualisation. Digitisation expands access while enabling new forms of interpretation and digital storytelling. The portal thus functions both as a research resource and an educational tool, demonstrating how digital archives can democratise historical knowledge and foster critical awareness.