IL CUORE AFFAMATO DELLE RAGAZZE

At the heart of the story, the Triangle Factory fire, a symbolic event in the fight for social justice and the origin of International Women's Day.

In 1910, Etta moves from Philadelphia to New York to work as a nurse on Ellis Island, the gateway for thousands of migrantsincluding her own parents, who arrived from Sicily twenty years earlier.

There, she meets Tessie, a bright and independent seamstress who also volunteers as an interpreter for the Women's Union. Through their growing friendship, Tessie introduces Etta to the world of labor activism and the fight for women's rights. Together, they stand on the front lines of strikes, demanding both "bread and roses," and gradually find the courage to acknowledge their feelings for each other.

The devastating Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 becomes a turning point, fueling their anger and determination.

Maria Rosa Cutrufelli. Born in Sicily, a major figure in Italian feminist movements, she boasts a long, prolific career as a journalist, cultural critic, and novelist. After earning her degree in Literature from the University of Bologna, she founded and directed the journal "Tuttestorie". She also authored several works of fiction, non fiction and travel literature largely devoted to Africa, where she lived for three years. Her works have been translated into twenty languages. Among her recent works: L'isola delle madri (Mondadori, 2020), and Maria Giudice (Neri Pozza, 2024). Her novel Canto del deserto (Longanesi, 1994) has been recently published by Soho Press in the US with the title Tina, Mafia Soldier.