Immersive experiences against digital violence

07/03/2025

4 min.

Reality that should not exist. Today the event at Amaldi in Rome

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), one in ten girls has already suffered some form of digital violence by the age of 15. Cyber Violence Against Women and Girls (CVAWG) is now one of the new dimensions of gender-based violence. At the same time, the phenomenon of social isolation among adolescents is taking on increasingly worrying proportions: the percentage of young people who do not socialize with friends outside of school has almost doubled after the pandemic, rising from 5.6% in 2019 to 9.7% in 2022. In Italy, there has been a significant increase in cases of hikikomori, often associated with episodes of cyberbullying and hyper-connectivity (Musa data, CNR-IRPPS).

Raising students' awareness of the risks of digital violence and promoting greater awareness of online security, on the eve of International Women's Rights Day: this is the objective of the initiative organized by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale ETS, in collaboration with Rai Cinema and One More Pictures, at the Edoardo Amaldi high school in Rome. The first short film, screened in the presence of the director Nicola Conversa, is La bambola di pezza, with Claudia Gerini. Part of a transmedia project on online grooming, it was previewed as a special event at the 79th Venice International Film Festival. The second work is Happy Birthday by Lorenzo Giovenga with actress Jenny De Nucci, who left the Amaldi students an important testimony on the hikikomori phenomenon. Presented at the 76th Venice International Film Festival, the short film is about a young woman who lives locked up in her room and a father who tries to help her get out of her isolation. The short films are the winners of the 2019 and 2022 editions of La realtà che NON esiste, the contest for digital storytellers, created by One More Pictures with Rai Cinema, which aims to promote new forms of digital storytelling and engage with young people, families and institutions on the threats and opportunities of social networks and new technologies.

Participants also had an immersive virtual reality experience with the work “Aurora”, directed by Luca Michele and inspired by the winner of the 2023 edition of the contest, the short film A voce nuda by Mattia Lobosco on the themes of control, freedom and toxic relationships. “Years after its first screening, Happy Birthday still gives me the opportunity to talk about how social media can be a double-edged sword. Since 2019, my relationship with my personal channels has also changed exponentially and as I've grown up, I've learned to protect myself. I really like the idea that my experience could be useful for someone younger than me” - commented Jenny De Nucci.

The screening of the short films was followed by a reflection led by Barbara Strappato, First Manager of the State Police and director of the First Division of the Postal and Cyber Security Police Service, who illustrated the main risks related to cybercrime, highlighting the growth of online crimes in 2024: over 300 cases of cyberbullying, concentrated in the 14-17 age group, and about 1,500 episodes of sextortion (data on the activities of the Postal Police). “It is important to promote opportunities for discussion and in-depth analysis dedicated in particular to young people, so that they can achieve greater awareness, including social awareness, providing concrete suggestions for the development of strategies for protection and self-protection from all forms of techno-mediated aggression” - he commented.

The meeting ended with a training session led by Giorgia Macrino, screenwriter and director, who involved the students in a workshop on film writing techniques, with a focus on the narrative dynamics of the short films that were shown. The initiative continues the collaboration between Rai Cinema and Fondazione Mondo Digitale to promote greater social awareness among young people through audiovisual language, already experimented in 2023 with the immersive experience on the Divine Comedy for the Smart & Heart Rome project.

The photo gallery

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The interviews

Statements

“Digital awareness education is one of the most urgent challenges of our time, especially for the younger generations. Online violence and social isolation undermine the well-being and safety of young people. Audiovisual language and immersive experiences help students recognize the dangers of the web, develop critical thinking and build a more responsible digital citizenship. With this initiative, we strengthen our commitment to creating safe and inclusive educational environments, in which technology is a tool for empowerment and not exclusion.”
Mirta Michilli, General Director of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale ETS

“For the public service it is essential to intercept and narrate the challenges of the present, using new expressive languages to promote awareness and reflection. With Rai Cinema we are committed to digital culture, putting cinema and new technologies at the service of a narrative that gives voice to the most urgent social issues and the sensitivities of the new generations. Projects like 'La Realtà che non Esiste' are a concrete example of how innovation can be a driving force for cultural and social growth, reinforcing the power of the cinematic narrative in addressing crucial issues such as respect and inclusion”.
Carlo Rodomonti, Head of Strategic and Digital Marketing at Rai Cinema

“At One More Pictures we firmly believe that digital education is an essential component in preparing the new generations for the challenges of the contemporary world. Through the language of cinema and audiovisual media, we sensitize teenagers, teachers and families on the conscious use of technology and social networks, promoting reflection on issues of great social relevance. A concrete example of our commitment is the contest 'La realtà che NON esiste' (The reality that does NOT exist), created in collaboration with Rai Cinema. The objectives are multiple: to build a writing and innovation laboratory at the service of social issues, to create a new productive paradigm, to educate teenagers about the new digital worlds using the immediacy of cinematographic language and to provide a new opportunity for young audiovisual talents under 35. We collaborate with schools, institutions and companies to create engaging and stimulating training courses, offering concrete tools to navigate the digital world in a safe and ethical way”.
Carla Granieri, managing director of One More Pictures

“The Rag Doll is about fragility, about intertwining loneliness, about that need to be loved that makes us all a little vulnerable. It talks about grooming, online solicitation, the dark side of the web, but above all the human side of those who rely on a screen to look for a hug, even when they feel emotionally detached. Because deep down, we are all rag dolls: fragile, but in desperate need of love. Participating in projects that deal with such urgent social issues is a responsibility that I feel deeply. Talking to a young audience means choosing my words carefully, telling stories without judging, but above all, sparking reflection. If this film can help even just one person recognize a danger or feel less alone, then it will have found its purpose”.
Nicola Conversa, director

Immersive experiences against digital violence