All language subtitles for Venice 24-7 2of6 Carnival 720p HDTV_Subtitles01.ENG

'Venice, one of the most stunning
cities on Earth.

'Over 50,000 tourists
arrive here each day

'for Carnival,
culture and canals.

'But what they don't see
is how this city works.

'This is Venice from the inside.

'Around the clock, emergency teams
fight to keep a city built on water

'safe and working.'
ALARM BELL

'With unprecedented access
to police, fire and medical teams,

'we come face-to-face
with unique challenges

'and life-and-death drama.'

Up to yesterday, she was all right.
This morning she was not responsive.

'This is Venice 24/7, where
the ordinary becomes extraordinary.'

'As Venice emerges
from an especially harsh winter,

'those living here gear up for
the first major event of the year.

'In two days, Carnival begins.

'Carnevale meaning "meat is allowed"
is a 1,000-year-old tradition

'of indulgence
before the abstinence of Lent.

'Leading up to Easter, thousands
of revellers are about to descend

'on St Mark's Square,
in the heart of the historic city.

'Venice earns over £2 billion a year
from tourism

'and owes half of its jobs
to the industry.

'Carnival is one of the city's
most important events of the year.

'It starts high above the square.

'It's from the 16th-century
St Mark's Campanile

'that Carnival
is officially launched.

'Here, riggers are preparing the
flight of the angel, or "colombina".

'A young woman is lowered
over the crowd to signal the start
of the ten-day Carnival.

'In charge of the spectacle
is chief engineer Niccolo Ferrari.'

The flight of the angel
is a tradition.

It's something like, er...

It's a tradition that comes from
many...yeah, hundreds of years ago.

'The event is said to date back
to a 16th-century spectacle.

'A young acrobat wowed the crowds
by walking on a tightrope

'strung high across the square.

'In the 18th century,

'the acrobat fell from the wire
and plummeted to his death.

'The spectacle was abandoned until
a safer version was revived in 2001.

'The safety of the structure
used to reenact the spectacle

'rests with Niccolo.'

This is the hanging point.

The cable will be secured
in this position.

So this is the main important part
of the stage for our purpose.

So this is important to be tested
before the launch of the angel.

'The cable used to make the descent
is fastened to the scaffold

'100 metres below the Campanile.

'At the other end, the job is
complicated by the need to safeguard
this protected historic monument.'

'They must rig a massive
pulley system weighing over 1,000kg

'without making any holes
in the building.

'It must perfectly support the angel
during her descent.'

'Across town, the fire station
is on standby.

'Massimo Pierre Federici,

'a fireman with over 20 years'
experience, is covering the shift.

'The first call-out is from a hotel
on the other side of town.'

'Hurrying to get there,

'the fire brigade are allowed
to break the 3mph speed limit.

'But Venice's complex numbering
system can add extra minutes.

'With a little local help,
the fire team manages

'to locate the hotel
with the trapped Italian tourists.'

'The group has been inside the lift
for almost half an hour.

'It's stuck just below floor level
and the door has jammed.'

'It's a simple matter of finding
the right switch to open the door.'

GASPS OF RELIEF

'The city's 400 gondoliers
are taking their first
Carnival tourists.

'For the daughter of one,
this Carnival is special.

'Beatrice Coloru will be competing
in the Maria festival,

'a version of
a 14th-century tradition.'

'The 12 girls taking part
in the Maria beauty pageant

'have been selected from a shortlist
of 60 hopefuls from the region.

'The girl who wins will be crowned
Queen of the Carnival,

'and may also become
next year's angel.

'For Beatrice's father, whose family
has been here for over 1,000 years,

'it would be a huge honour.'

I can say that I'm proud
of this situation

where Beatrice is going through.

Because it is happening
once in the life.

And...I'm glad that this happened

because I'm a gondolier
and a real Venetian,

and this has something to do
with this wonderful culture.

'As one girl hopes to be crowned
Queen this Carnival,

'the girl who won last year
is about to find out what's in store

'for her flight.'

'Tomorrow, 23-year-old
Silvia Bianchini, this year's angel,

'will be suspended
400 feet above the ground.'

'With only a day to go,
the team work into the night

'to get everything ready in time.

'It's the big day,
and Carnival is hours away

'from being officially launched.

'Police are holding a briefing
at the back of St Mark's Square
to plan exit routes for the crowds.'

'Thousands of people are expected
to watch the flight of the angel.'

'The body was found in a canal

'right next to St Mark's Square
by a hotel concierge.'

'It looks like the victim
has been dead some hours.

'It's up to the police to try
and identify the young man.'

'Police remove the body before
the area is flooded with tourists.

'He is loaded into a special casket
and taken to the city's morgue.

'The police will begin investigating
restaurants and hotels

'to try and shed light
on what might have happened.'

'The body will be held by police,
and if unclaimed,

'it will be returned
to the Chinese embassy.'

'St Mark's Square, said to have been
described by Napoleon

'as the finest drawing room
in Europe.

'For locals and tourists,
the square personifies the city.

'For Silvia and the team, now is not
the time to take in the view.

'These are critical moments.'

'Up on the belfry,
the team does its final checks.'

CHEERS AND APPLAUSE

'Niccolo and his team have
planned and executed these flights
for over a decade.'

This was the best flight of my 11

because of the distance
from the cables and for her.

She was very kind.
She was very charged.

And the flight was very beautiful.

'Carnival is officially,
and safely, under way.

'One of the most spectacular
masquerades in the world begins.

'For most, Carnival is about
dressing up and having fun.

'The masks were originally
to break down class barriers,

'entitling the wearer to anonymity,
equality and freedom
during the party season.

'They still embody
the spirit of Carnival,

'but for criminals, they can create
a golden opportunity.

'Camouflaged amongst
a sea of distracted tourists,

'pick-pockets hope
to do good business.

'The police forces are spread across
the historic centre,

'some immediately recognisable,

'others less so.'

'Paolo has worked in the force
for over ten years.

'He's been paired with Giovanni
for the last four.

'As experts in covert surveillance,
working in Venice gives a new
meaning to "going undercover".'

'The plan is to get into position
and catch the thieves in the act.

'The police are also looking
for any other hands that wander.'

'No-one is above suspicion,

'not even Napoleon and Josephine.

'The police scan the crowd,
focusing on groups of young men.'

'Finding criminals amongst the
crowds can be tough for the police.

'It never hurts to have help
from ANOTHER force.'

'In the district of Santa Croce,
to the west of the centre,

'Beatrice and her family
gather to wish her luck
in the Maria festival.'

This is mine.
No!

CORK POPS

'After the party, Beatrice gets into
her mediaeval competition costume

'and makes her way across the city
to join her fellow brides.'

To win or not to win is the same
thing for us. She is there.

It doesn't matter. I hope for her,
but for us, she is the Maria.

Yes, for me, too.

THEY CHUCKLE

SIREN BLARES

'The 118 paramedic team
have been called out.

'It seems the patient
is in the heart of the party,

'St Mark's Square.'

'During Carnival, fancy dress can be
a hindrance in an emergency.

'When they arrive,
there is no sign of the injured man.

'He's on the terrace
of the 11th-century Basilica,

'20 feet above the square.'

'The injured person is a Japanese
doctor on holiday with his wife.

'He slipped and split his face open
while taking a picture.

'He doesn't want to go to hospital.'

'But this man's concern isn't
so much his departure, but how much
his accident will cost.'

'The doctor is persuaded
to follow the team to hospital,

'where his injury
can be fully investigated.

'Among the crowds, the police are
struggling to remain undercover.'

'With so many people around,
it can be difficult to get about.'

'Believing they're on the trail of
a criminal, they step up their
pursuit and plan to arrest him.'

'When the moment is right,
they decide to close in.'

'On this occasion, the officers
were following the wrong gang.

'Giovanni and Paolo
don't get their man...'

'..this time.'

'The quest to find the
Queen of the Carnival is under way.

'In the 16th-century casino,
the 12 get ready.'

'Gondolier's daughter Beatrice
has high hopes of winning
the prestigious Venetian title.'

'The girls take part in a series
of events across the city.

'They are judged by a ten-strong
panel of experts from the worlds
of art, politics and literature -

'although some of the rounds
owe more to modern Italy than old.

'After a final round of preening
and parading, the judges vote.

'Italy's TV networks
and the Venetian glitterati
are out in force.'

'The winner comes from 20 miles
outside of Venice's city centre.

'Beatrice's local status
hasn't swayed the judges.'

'As evening draws in, party
celebrations crank up a notch.

'It's a busy night
for the emergency services.

'Paramedic Anna Scarpa
has worked in the city for 15 years,
and has seen it all.'

SPEAKS IN ITALIAN

'The majority of call-outs are
during the day, but during Carnival,
the nights can be even busier.

'A young man has been found
lying on the street
in the district of Cannaregio.'

'Anna injects a drug into the man's
neck to try to bring him round.'

'The patient is conscious
but completely disorientated.'

What's your name?

'The young American has been
injecting drugs, but the paramedics
have got to him in time.'

'The young man joins
the Japanese couple,
who are still waiting to be seen.'

'The fire team are called out
on another emergency.'

'It's not Carnival tourists
this time,

'but an elderly man who hasn't been
answering his phone.

'His son is worried there's
something seriously wrong.'

'The paramedics are already
at the scene,

'but with no sign of life inside,
they have to force their way in.'

'While tourists celebrate,

'this Venetian has slept through
the whole thing.'

'Venice is on red alert.

'For the first time in 26 years,
the Pope pays a visit.

'The Grand Canal is to close,

'and security services
put the city on lock-down.'

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd