TV presents the format "Radix

The format, conceived and hosted by Edoardo Sylos Labini, combines theater, music, and digital storytelling to explore the hidden cultural identity of small Italian towns.

The schedules for the 2025/2026 television season were presented at the RAI studios in Naples . This year's focus is on Digital and Transmedia Content, directed by Marcello Ciannamea.

The stated goal is to transform this area into a laboratory for editorial experimentation, based on the contamination between languages and the adoption of a digital grammar capable of communicating with new generations, particularly the Young Adult audience (18–34 age group).

Among the most exciting new additions to the catalog is Radix – Un viaggio identitario, a cultural and performative format that will air late at night on Rai 3 from October 7 to November 4, 2025, with two episodes per week. Created and hosted by Edoardo Sylos Labini and directed by Anna Abbate, the program explores the roots of Italian identity through a tour of small towns, which represent 90% of the country's urban fabric. This transmedia project combines theater, live music, video art, and interviews, bringing to the screen a hybrid narrative blending cultural variety and documentary.

We interviewed the project's protagonist, Edoardo Sylos Labini, to delve deeper into Radix's content and vision.

The "Radix" format explores the particularities of local Italy. What is the central mission of this project?

"Radix" is a journey through the stories and characters who have left a profound mark on small Italian towns. Ninety percent of our country is made up of municipalities with fewer than 90 inhabitants: villages that often hold figures and events of extraordinary historical and cultural significance, even on an international level.

The format's language is innovative: it blends theater, original music by maestro Colicchio, and interviews with greats like Espa, Caprioglio, Tognazzi, Saturnino, and others, all with a visual aesthetic inspired by the world of Quake and "The Matrix." The title itself, "Radix," has Latin roots, but the style is profoundly contemporary.

Can you tell us about some of the places or characters featured in the episodes? Are there any stories that particularly struck you?

Among the stops that have struck me is Chioggia, where we recount Carlo Goldoni and his "Chioggia Baruffe," as well as the figure of Eleonora Duse. The journey, however, begins in Pomezia, my hometown. Legend has it that Aeneas landed in Pratica di Mare to found Lavinium. Sergio Leone rests here, and nearby, in Torvaianica, Ugo Tognazzi founded the famous Tognazzi Village in the 70s. Every town, even the smallest, holds surprising stories. Our aim is to bring them to light and restore them to the collective memory.

The program seems to reaffirm the importance of preserving and, at the same time, enhancing the distinctive identity of villages and local communities in the age of globalization. Is this correct?

Absolutely. This is a cultural battle I've been waging for years, including through the magazine "Cultura e Identità." In the age of globalization, it's crucial to rediscover and celebrate small communities: they are the beating heart of authentic Italy. During the pandemic, many people rediscovered their hometowns, and in many cases, they've stayed there. As Maccari said a hundred years ago, the "country," or the "strapaese," is still an extraordinary resource for identity.

"Radix" is an integral part of the new digital and transmedia sector that RAI is focusing on. How does this format differ from traditional television series?

As Rai CEO emphasized at the press conference, "Radix" was created for RaiPlay and is intended for an audience under 35. It's a way to tell our story to young people, who are often poorly informed or superficially educated on issues of identity. The language is completely different: it's cross-media and combines theater, music, journalism, urban documentary, and visual storytelling. It's not just television, but a true multichannel narrative experience.

RAI seems to want to combine tradition and innovation. Do you think this is the new mission of the public service broadcaster?

"Yes, without a doubt. This is Rai's new vision: combining the strength of tradition with contemporary experimentation. The past must not be forgotten, but reinterpreted in light of new languages and new platforms."

Are there any other projects you would like to share with the public?

Yes, I'd like to highlight another very important event for me: my play on Gabriele D'Annunzio, which will be broadcast live from the Vittoriale degli Italiani. The event will air on September 12th on Rai 3, with a preview on RaiPlay on September 10th. Once again, the choice is to showcase a major figure in Italian culture through a fusion of stage and digital languages. Always in the spirit of tradition in dialogue with innovation.

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