Together with 12 speleologists, Michelangelo Frammartino‘s film team working on Il buco risked a descent into one of the world’s deepest caves (coming in at number 40), Abisso del Bifurto, also known as the Wolf Pit. This cave in the Pollino National Park reaches 683 meters deep into the rocks of the Calabrian karst.
It is an area rich in caves and a breathtaking nature reserve surrounding the ancient villages Cerchiara and San Lorenzo Bellizzi, as well as the home of the rare wild peony, Paeonia mascula.
In 1961, at the peak of the Italian economic miracle, the cave was first explored to its full depth by members of the Piedmontese Speleological Group (Gruppo Speleologico Piemontese). The year before, a first expedition reached the depth of 440 meters. There was nothing the researchers could rely on while exploring the cave landscape, not even military maps. Only the local shepherds could advise them about possible entrances to the cave. Two members of the original group, Beppe De Matteis and Giulio Gecchele, saw the film about their feat and were deeply moved.
In the past, the caves of the area served as shelter for Basilian monks, robbers, and shepherds. Today the region attracts tourists and cave climbers. The glory of the depths and the allure of this magical underworld where time takes on an entirely different meaning can’t help but entice people to enter their realm.