Europe’s largest steelworks has been located in Taranto in southern Italy since the 1960s. It has been proven that emissions of harmful substances such as dioxin and benzopyrene are generated during the production of steel there. Studies show that the cancer rate in Taranto is above average. The government in Rome has been aware of this for many years. And yet steel continues to be produced in Taranto. How can this be?

“City of Steel” accompanies the citizens of Taranto in their fight to close the steelworks, looks for clues in Rome and Brussels and interviews Italian and European politicians about one of the biggest environmental scandals in the history of Europe. Videos of the inside of the steelworks, which were provided by the steelworkers for the film, show the current state of the industrial plant.

How can this environmental crime taking place in the heart of Europe be covered up for decades? What forces are involved? Whose interests lie behind it? “City of Steel” takes an investigative look at how politics and industry were able to circumvent the controls of Italian and European institutions for decades and, through greed, make high profits at the expense of the citizens of Taranto. An almost perfect environmental crime with the approval of state institutions. Today. In the heart of Europe.

Written & Directed by: Chiara Sambuchi

Directors of Photography: Paolo Pisacane

Editor: Michele Gallone, Gabriele Biasizzo

Composer: Pietro Santangelo

Production: Nele Huff, Stefanie Kaiser, Arndt Fehl

Original Sound: Francesco Guarnaccia, Andrea Viali

Line Producer: Ko Miklik

Line Producer WDR: Gertrudis Wilms

Commissioning Editor: Beate Schlanstein

Executive Producer: Antje Boehmert

Produced by DOCDAYS Productions in co-production with WDR in collaboration with arte.

Length: 52 Min
Year of Production: 2023