Stone Men
Marble is the most luxurious stone in the world. But it has to be extracted from the mountain through a tough, dangerous process. Only the "Stone Men" can master this.
In Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy, lies the largest marble basin in the world. For over 2,000 years, people have been querried high-quality marble. But for every inch of marble a price has to be paid. It is a struggle against nature and the elements, against the mountain and its hazards. Only the "Men of Stone" can fight this struggle. We follow them managing three different quarries in the high mountains of the Apuan Alps Regional Park and fueling a multimillion-dollar industry that contributes to the economic well-being of the whole region. Their instincts and abilities carry on a process that is an ever-renewing challenge, surrounded by lunar landscapes and breathtaking views.
Episodes
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The Marble Quarries
Every year in Tuscany one and a half million cubic meters of marble are extracted from over 150 active quarries. Hundreds of quarrymen, aided by the most modern machines, feed the multi-million euro industry. Among these, one of the most important is Henraux. We follow the work of its quarrymen and discover how the precious marble is used by some of the most famous designers around the world.
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Difficulty
The struggle of the stone men is in full swing: Michele at the Russia quarry is unable to overturn a block, at the Catino quarry Luca must decide how to deal with extracting a defective block, while at the Piastrone quarry the last section of marble to be overturned is in the hands of the young Umberto.
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Without Respite
On Monte Altissimo work in the quarries proceeds relentlessly: the trundlers are about to go into action at the Catino quarry, Luca makes a gamble in an attempt to speed up extraction, while at the Russia quarry a risky overturn is being prepared to start off the day.
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Hard Test
In the Apuan Alps everyone is at work on the marble: at the Russia quarry Michele struggles with the largest block of his career, at the Catino quarry Luca experiments with a new extraction method, and at the Piastrone quarry bad weather brings work to a halt.
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Struggle Against Time
The quarrymen are struggling against time: at the Piastrone quarry Mario has yet to reach the quantity of marble required, at the Catino quarry Luca struggles with the screw jacks, while Michele tries to identify a water issue.
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The Decisive Day
The time for excuses and delays is over: the day of reckoning has arrived in which there is only room now for the work and toil of the stone men to achieve their goals.
Facts
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Year2020
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Length6 × 45' (ITA, GER, ENG subs)
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ResolutionHD
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Produced by
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Partners