Transhumance: the seasonal droving of livestock

This film takes us on a journey across several countries in Europe, introducing people whose families have practised transhumance for generations. Following the seasonal movement of livestock between different grazing areas, they continue a way of life that makes the best use of natural resources while preserving landscapes, traditions and cultural knowledge.

The film gives particular prominence to the experiences and contributions of women in transhumant communities, whose roles are essential to the continuity and transmission of this living heritage.

Filmmaker Francesca Pasetti has dedicated much of her professional life to promoting and documenting transhumance. Her work includes her long-standing involvement with the Fundación Trashumancia y Naturaleza in Spain, her role as Focal Point for the Spanish Declaration of Transhumance as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and her position as Co-Chair of the European Regional IYRP Support Group of the Global Alliance for Rangelands and Pastoralists (GA4RP), among other activities.

Through the voices and experiences of transhumant pastoralists across Europe, the film highlights transhumance not simply as an agricultural practice, but as a living cultural heritage that continues to connect people, animals, landscapes and generations. It is included in a UNESCO collection dedicated to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognising the cultural significance and continuing vitality of transhumance.