C’è un soffio di vita soltanto, a 2021 documentary directed by Matteo Botrugno and Daniele Coluccini, offers an intimate portrait of Lucy Salani, known for "
Essere Lucy," the oldest trans woman in Italy. The title, which translates to "There is only a breath of life," is taken from a verse of a poem written by Salani in her youth. This poignant line symbolizes her enduring hope despite the horrendous trials she endured throughout her life.
Lucy Salani’s remarkable journey - spanning nearly a century - is filled with tragedy, survival, and resilience, and the documentary sheds light on her incredible story. Lucy was born in 1924 in Fossano, a town in northern Italy, into a family with anti-fascist values. She would go on to become one of the few known survivors of the Nazi concentration camp in Dachau, marking her as not only a survivor of war but also as an icon of the LGBTQ+ community in Italy.
From a young age, Lucy realized she was different. "I always felt like a girl, even as a child," she says in the documentary, reflecting on her early years. While most boys her age played with other boys, Lucy gravitated toward the company of girls, preferring their activities, such as cooking, cleaning, and playing with dolls. This difference caused great distress for her family, particularly her father and brothers, who rejected her for her identity. Lucy remembers the difficult relationship with her family as a result of her gender expression, but she also credits her antifascist upbringing for teaching her to question societal norms. As the 1930s unfolded, with Italy under fascist rule, Lucy's journey to self-realization grew more complicated. When her family moved to the Bologna area, she began making connections with other LGBTQ+ individuals. She felt an understanding of her identity through these friendships, but even within this group, she felt a sense of otherness. "Even among my homosexual friends, I saw something masculine in them, while I saw myself differently," Lucy recalls. It was during this time that she first began to understand the concept of gender in the way she felt it, rather than how society expected it to be.
In the turmoil of World War II, Lucy’s life took a tragic turn. Like all young men in Italy, she was called to serve in the military. Despite a failed attempt to avoid conscription by claiming to be homosexual, she was eventually drafted and sent to a military camp. However, after Italy’s armistice in 1943, Lucy deserted the army and fled to Bologna to be with her family. Fearing for their safety, Lucy rejoined the Nazis, and after a period of evasion and living in hiding, she was arrested by the Gestapo. She was eventually deported to the notorious Dachau concentration camp in November 1944. It was in Dachau that Lucy endured unimaginable horrors. She recalls that her time there was a true "Inferno," a nightmare far worse than Dante’s Hell. She witnessed and experienced violence, brutality, and the constant fear of death. Her survival for over six months in the camp was marked by extreme suffering, but she found the will to survive, especially when American forces liberated the camp in May 1945. By then, she had been marked with the red triangle, which identified her as a political prisoner and deserter.
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After the war, Lucy returned home to a family that had presumed her dead. Her mother fainted upon seeing her alive. In the aftermath of the war, Lucy tried to make sense of her identity while living in a world that rejected her. She moved to Rome, then Turin, and later Paris, where she found solace in the transgender community. It was during her time in London in the early 1980s that Lucy underwent gender-affirming surgery, one of the first Italian women to do so. Despite this, Lucy chose to retain her birth name, Luciano, on her legal documents. "My name is Salani Luciano, it's original, but in life, I’ve taken many names. But I call myself Luciano. My parents gave me that name. Why can't a woman be called Luciano?" she declares in the documentary. In the years following her transition, Lucy lived life on her own terms. She enjoyed a series of relationships and a full and adventurous life, rejecting societal norms and embracing her true identity. Her work was varied, and she traveled extensively, cherishing every moment of her freedom.
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In her later years, Lucy became an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and anti-fascist causes, sharing her story to ensure that the horrors she experienced during the war were never forgotten. Her life became a powerful symbol of resilience, resistance, and hope, and in 2019, an appeal was made to the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, to grant Lucy a life senator position, recognizing her contributions to the country’s history and her advocacy for marginalized communities. In 2021, the documentary C’è un soffio di vita soltanto further amplified Lucy’s voice, capturing her in her final years. The filmmakers follow Lucy as she revisits Dachau for the 75th anniversary of the camp's liberation. These emotional returns to the site where she endured such unimaginable suffering provide a glimpse into the lasting impact of her trauma and the strength she found to carry on. The film paints a picture of a life lived fully, even amid adversity, highlighting Lucy’s profound connection to the past and her unwavering commitment to sharing her story to educate future generations.
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Lucy Salani passed away in March 2023 at the age of 98. Her legacy as an activist, survivor, and transgender trailblazer lives on, particularly in her contributions to the visibility and rights of transgender individuals. In recognition of her life, the city of Bologna honored her in the summer of 2022. Lucy’s story also lives on through her biography, Il mio nome è Lucy: l’Italia del XX secolo nei ricordi di una transessuale ("My Name Is Lucy: Italy in the 20th Century Through the Memories of a Transsexual"), written by Gabriella Romano. Her life represents the intersection of war, identity, survival, and resilience. Lucy Salani’s journey reminds us that hope, even in the darkest of times, is what allows individuals to endure and transform their struggles into triumphs. Through C’è un soffio di vita soltanto, her story continues to inspire generations, ensuring that the past is never forgotten and that we continue to fight for justice, dignity, and respect for all people, regardless of their gender identity.
Image credits: YouTube
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