Into the movement

What is “Into the movement”?

“Into the movement” is a documentary that wants to narrate young men and women, the economical crisis, and the world as seen through the lens of student political movements and self-management experiences.

Specifically, the documentary focuses on one significant experience, the “Art Lab” collective movement, an independent social center founded in Parma on May 6th 2011, with its mechanisms and dynamics: squatting in the building which to this day houses the center, the reasons that led a group of university students to take ownership of a space which had gone unused for twenty years, working hard to salvage decayed rooms, giving birth to important projects which have since had the chance to progress thanks to the existence of this container: projects such as an Italian language school for immigrants, the anti-racist soccer team, the bicycle workshop, as well as a wide range of events, such as debates, concerts, movies, etc. that animated the cultural scene of both the neighborhood and the city.

The study of a political collective movement living in a specific social center, such as this Parma experience, certainly does not lead to a localistic story, despite not overlooking the historical and geographical reality it spawned from. In fact, the analysis of one microcosm is particularly illuminating because it can uncover existing dynamics found in other Italian and European groups, or dynamics which are potentially replicable in similar contexts.

“Into the movement” investigates the problems and limitations of the various movement experiences, to see how they can contaminate civil society with their practices and their values, and understand whether the instances they promote can find a breeding ground, or if the lack of mutual understanding with the exterior prevails. The movie will also be a testimony to the younger generations calling upon a society which at worst exploits them, at best ignores them.

Being young today, in these times of recession, means accepting precariousness, and therefore accepting the impossibility to make medium-term life plans and goals; it means resigning yourself to gradually losing your rights, having no prospects, having to live crushed by a prevailing gerontocracy, widespread nepotism, and profit as the only criterion by which to control society and understand the world.
The collective then becomes a place in which to debate, group together, make plans, build and develop new models of social life; this is why the outside world cannot remain unresponsive to a laboratory where today’s community experiments tomorrow’s society.
How the project was born

The project was born almost by chance, an idea that came up just a few months after the occupation of 2011, during a first “tour” of the center conducted by two “Art Lab” activists. That first meeting was enough to sense the potential of these intelligent, eager and politically aware young people. Time would prove that these qualities, along with tactical skills and the ability to deal with public institutions, would allow the social center to become deeply rooted in the territory. Among other things, a special energy could be perceived, an energy dictated by the desire to change the world, which is usually typical of young generations but is nowadays not so easily found in youths, most of whom live in a constant state of resignation, unmotivated by a future with no prospects, and willing to accept whatever the system offers them, despite the fact that said system does not protect them.
In autumn 2012 the time came to factually give life to the project, and to begin an adventure which is now nearly three years old: a long time, a necessary time to live, understand, absorb, decant the center, and finaly to convey it. Convey it especially to those who are not familiar with realities such as these, those who only have a simplified or distorted idea, and those who know something but would like to learn more.

Purpose of the documentary

To narrate a political community, specifically the ART LAB one, following two main lines:
– how this community confronted the current political situation of the city and weighed on it (the fall of the Vignali administration, the battle over the incinerator, the temporary occupation of the “Ospedale Vecchio”, the battle for the right to housing, etc.)
– how a (political) community works and how people live their sense of belonging.

The approach

The chosen method is that of a story from the inside. This is not merely a journalistic investigation which reports historical and political events; this is a journey to the heart of what happens inside a political community, to convey it to those who are not familiar with such realities.
Such a project would not be possible without the constant physical and emotional presence of the director inside this community, a presence which triggered the mutual trust necessary to go beyond the mere description of facts.
The point of view from the inside provides a perspective which is different from the investigative one, and can not only reveal reality as lived by the protagonists, but also explore the real motives of those who make such a strong choice.
This operation is new, original, unprecedented, and records and shows what is normally forbidden to the cameras: actions, occupations, assemblies, etc.

What has been done so far

“Into the movement” is the result of three years of filming, during which a huge amount of material was collected to structure the narrative.
After filming, now comes the most important step: the development of the main narrative thread and the micro-stories, the editing, the soundtrack, the subtitles… in short, all those elements that combine to make a defined and professional finished product.
This step will be followed by the release of the documentary, the submission to film festivals, the search for a cinema and tv distributor, etc.

Why the crowdfunding

The first part of this massive work was carried out on personal time, resources and energy. The second part remains to be done, it is just as challenging and its outcome depends on your contribution.
Crowdfunding is first of all a necessary choice to cover part of the expenses, in particular those relating to the post-production phase (color correction, soundtrack, DCP copy for cinema release, etc.). However, crowdfunding is also a deliberate and “horizontal” choice: it means sharing, participation, dealing with peers, and thus promotes freedom of expression. The lack of one real client turns out to be a positive resource for a story that needs to be treated with sensitivity, because it prevents any distortions that arise when a sponsor has the power to steer a project.
Donating includes receiving rewards ranging from the citation in the credits, t-shirts of the film, a limited edition DVD of the documentary.

Why should you support the documentary?

To receive those news that no newspaper will ever give, and moreover from an innovative point of view: the protagonists of the events speak of themselves on camera and of how they see the world.
Because no commercial documentary, with limited time and frantic production rates, with beautiful glossy images and little depth, can provide you with the level of detail of “Into the movement.”
Because three years spent together cannot become just any documentary where an external director, with his mental categories, tries to report an object. “Into the movement” offers a true life experience.
Because there will be room for emotions, not only for the harsh reality of facts.
Because social centers are the subject of many myths, a lot of demagogy, but never before of a story such as the one we are about to tell.
To understand if there are any alternative models to the one that rules the planet, which produces deficits, injustice, destruction, and to see if someone is already on the right track.
And finally, to predict what can actually come of that social turmoil that the media report in a simplistic and biased narrative.

Save the date

While the processing of the documentary progresses, consistently with the available resources, a promotional “physical” campaign will start, because we believe it is important to present the project in person to bring it to life. The first appointment can be nowhere but in the “Art Lab”, where the project will be presented on Wednesday May 27th 2015 at 9.30 pm. Further dates will soon be scheduled to take place in different environments so that the topic and the project can be presented and discussed also outside the reality that inspired “Into the movement”.
For further details and updates please keep an eye on our website www.dentroilcollettivo.com and Facebook page dentroilcollettivo.