This week at IGS, filming for the upcoming documentary Sand Roads captured a special moment, as Paul Galea and Vittoria, Valerio De Simoni’s mother, spoke to our Year 10 students about Valerio’s life and journey.
Valerio, a beloved IGS Alum who graduated in 1999, is at the heart of this compelling documentary. A passionate adventurer and advocate for change, Valerio’s story unfolds in two chapters—one reflecting the energy of youth and the other the weight of adulthood—exploring themes of self-discovery, adventure, and enduring friendship.
Principal Colnan notes, “Many in the IGS community may recognise the artwork Little Orange Tree, but not all may know the profound story behind it. It began with Valerio’s poem, inspiring a mixed-media artwork by Jane Parkes and a musical composition by Paul Jarman and Bonnie Nilsson, as performed at this year’s 40th anniversary concert.”
In the summer of 2010, Valerio, alongside friends Jamie Kenyon and Chris ‘Teddy’ Davant, embarked on a remarkable adventure across Europe, Africa, and Australia. Their journey spanned 50,000 km on quad bikes, aiming to raise funds for Oxfam while breaking a Guinness World Record. Departing from Istanbul on 10 August 2010, the trio crossed 34 countries over 12 months, documenting their journey as they went.
Tragically, Valerio lost his life in a road accident in Malawi on 13 March 2011. In his honour, Jamie and Teddy completed the expedition, achieving the world record. Valerio’s diary, discovered after his passing, was later published and is now central to the Sand Roads documentary, which weaves original footage with his writings to present a new chapter of this extraordinary journey.
The Sand Roads documentary is a true creative collaboration between two countries – the writers/directors and animation director are Italian, the editor and cinematographer are Australian, and the researcher/translator is Australian with Italian descent. The director Lorenzo Conte has a familial connection to Valerio’s Italo-Australian family.
There are plans for the film to premiere at the Sydney Film Festival and to be showcased in the 2025 annual Italian film festival in Sydney, as well as international festivals and platforms such as Netflix.
We are delighted to support the creators, alongside Valerio’s mother and family, in the production of this film. In collaboration with the filmmakers, we also plan to have a special screening at the School. With special thanks to Paul Galea and all those involved in this week’s filming.
The Valerio Daniel De Simoni Association honours the life of Valerio Daniel De Simoni. It is a benevolent, non-profit institution, independent of any religious or political party, organised for the direct relief of poverty, sickness, disability, misfortune, distress, suffering or helplessness of refugees and asylum seekers and Australia’s Indigenous youth, independent of the ethnic, religious or cultural background of those refugees, asylum seeker and indigenous youth.