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Organized by UNESCO Creative Cities of Film Network
Participating Cities – Terrassa, Busan, Sarajevo, Valladolid, Yamagata, Cannes, Gdynia, Vicente López, Potsdam, Łódź, Wellington, Mumbai
This screening is a special program co-organized by UNESCO Creative Cities of Film, featuring works either created by or highlighting underrepresented communities in each city. The aim of this program is to amplify these communities’ voices and raise awareness about the social issues facing cities today.
In this program, we have gathered stories from a wide array of communities including children, people with disabilities, multicultural groups, women, refugees, and other diverse communities. Each city involved in this initiative has contributed by creatively producing films that reflect their unique perspectives and experiences. We are delighted to present these remarkable works to you at the 2024 UCCN Annual Conference in Braga.
Through these films, we aim to shed light on the realities faced by different urban communities. The stories portrayed in these works offer an opportunity to understand, empathize, and collaboratively seek solutions for the various social issues our cities confront. By watching these films, we hope you gain a deeper insight into the lives of our underrepresented neighbors, and consider the diverse facets of urban challenges they encounter daily.
This screening is not just about showcasing films, but about fostering a greater understanding and appreciation for the diverse voices that make up our urban landscapes. The creative works presented here have been meticulously crafted to reflect the authentic experiences and stories of people who often remain unheard. This is an invitation to engage with their narratives, to think critically about the issues presented, and to contribute to a dialogue that aims at positive social change.
We believe that art and film have a unique power to bridge gaps and bring people together. Through the visual storytelling in these films, we hope to connect audiences with the lived experiences of various communities, creating a space for reflection, discussion, and ultimately, action towards a more inclusive and understanding society.
We are thrilled to share these valuable works with you and it is our hope that this screening will not only be an enlightening experience but also an enjoyable one. We encourage you to take this opportunity to immerse yourself in these powerful stories and to reflect on the broader social implications they present.
Enjoy the films, and thank you for joining us in celebrating the voices and stories of our urban communities.
Morfema . 20′
Terrassa
Spanish Institut de Matadepera conducts annual training in film literacy alongside a specialized company (Associació Méliès). Every year, they choose a subject and get the support of specific associations to create a story in a respectful and rigorous way. At this occassion, it was the Vicky Bernadet Foundation, that works on comprehensive care, prevention and awareness of sexual abuse of minors committed in the family and in the child’s trusted environment. The film was produced and performed by 3rd-year secondary education students of the Matadepera High School.
See the Love . 16′
Busan
Busan Cinema Center provides filmmaking education with sign language interpretation, filmmaking equipment, and post production. For this project ten deaf individuals were invited to have their first-ever experience in film production.
HOME . 8’45’’
Sarajevo
Film students of the Academy of Performing Arts of Sarajevo visited the Institute for Education of Male Children and Youth in Sarajevo. During this visit they introduced and screened the film How I Learned to Fly by director Radivoj Andrić to a group of the Institute users, starting what would become a conversation about choices and life. This film registers that moment.
Portal 4 . 4’30’’
Valladolid
The Pajarillos neighborhood – Little Birds in English – is located on the corner of Valladolid’s historic center. Enclosed between train tracks and old military barracks, it has long housed working-class people and immigrant communities, the majority of whom facing economic and social challenges. Since 2020, the Valladolid City Council has been sponsoring the creation of Arts Education in the area. This short film has been conceived, directed, and performed by the young participants of the FilmLab, and it serves as evidence that collaborations between cultural associations and the municipality.
Yamagata Maiko: Traditional Performing Arts in the Modern Day . 26′
Yamagata
The Yamagata Renaissance Project is a filmmaking project aiming to produce a series of films that introduce the appeal of Yamagata’s diverse culture and offer local film talent a chance to hone their skills. It also promotes cross-sectoral collaboration by highlighting themes like traditional crafts, gastronomy, and performing arts.
This project aims to reframe the city’s culture through film production, leading to the “Renaissance of Yamagata culture”.
Ladybug’s witness . 1’27’’
The Race 1’21’’
SHAHIN 14’36’’
Cannes
Starting from listening to a short musical soundtrack composed by Rone, ASPnet students are invited to create a video closely related to the music, while articulating their creation around the theme “Acting for Peace and Sustainable Development.” Sound creates images. Listening to see better, to understand one’s environment better, to better understand others. Knowing how to listen to better communicate, in a relationship that excludes any form of violence.
Stop Motion Workshop . 9’32’’
Cannes
Cannes Cinéma offered voluntary teachers the opportunity to create a stop-motion film with their class. The teachers led the project and accompanied their students to guide them towards the materialization of their ideas (scriptwriting, creating sets and characters, frame-by-frame shooting…). Each step of the process was supervised by David Verucchi, audiovisual facilitator. Nine classes from Cannes participated in this project, and here is a selection of some of the films produced.
Tribute to Romy Schneider . 2’1’’
Cannes
Every summer, the city of Cannes organizes a Cinema Museum in Cannes. During this period, Cannes Cinéma hosts cinema workshops. In 2023, one of these workshops was dedicated to creating a collective film using rotoscoping, a cinematographic technique that translates real-life views into animation. More than 1000 drawings were made by visitors of all ages to create this collective work.
Beijing in Gdynia: In the Circle of Changes . 6’09
Gdynia
The animation was created as a result of conversations between two local cultural animators – Ida Bocian and Salcia Hałas – and the residents of the former ‘Pekin’ [Beijing] district of Gdynia. They shared personal memories and emotions related to the urban revitalization carried out by the city authorities. The animation also includes authentic photographs from the period of the city’s development, especially from the impoverished districts. A documentation of the challenging process of revitalizing impoverished districts and preserving the memories of their residents.
Semillas . 3,04´
Vicente López
This short film is the result of the ‘Schools Visit El Mate’ program. ‘El Mate’ is a free educational institute in the city, serving as the first film school for children and teenagers aged 9 to 17. Founded in 1987, it was a pioneer in its field, offering a comprehensive training method in art and communication where each participant is encouraged to express themselves freely, learn, and develop audiovisual projects. Currently, around 200 students attend regular annual and specialized workshops, many of whom have competed in and won several prizes at international festivals
El tiempo de la Tierra, historias originarias . 11’11´’
Vicente López
This short film is the result of a two year work and investigation together with the different indigenous cultures of our country. They were involved in the process in every aspect (stories, music selection, narration, and more). Every story has a unique approach such as different materials in the animation related to each indigenous culture.
Mima . 18’25’’
Cannes
A graduation movie, that talks about the memory and the identity of a young Moroccan girl living in France. It also speaks of the unsettling feeling of seeing a dead person in someone alive.
Funeral road . 15,45′
Cannes
A movie produced within academic context at the Georges Méliès University Campus. It talks about a difficult relationship between a boy and his father and the son’s desire to emancipate himself. From a certain point of view, it’s also a declaration of love from a son to his father. An inner reconciliation.
The Tree’s Gaze . 5′
Potsdam
This film was produced during the workshop “Die Insel”, as part of the PrepClass of the Filmuni Summer School at Filmuniversity Babelsberg in Potsdam, 2022. The PrepClass is a preparation class for prospective international students – especially those with a refugee background – who would like to apply to the Filmuniversity for an artistic degree program.
Stop Motion Workshop . 1,12′
Łódź
The film was prepared during the stop-motion animation workshop organized for the refugee group of invited children (primary school) coming from Ukraine and temporarily living in Łódź. Children came up with their own stories and took the photos by themselves.
Gabriel, como el Arcangel. 13,04´
Vicente López
A collective work of the Experimental Documentary Cinema Workshop of the Vicente López Film School in Buenos Aires, Argentina, whose main method is to generate experiences that start from the bottom, from the territory, from the people, to then build a documentary cinema that involves personal commitment. We go out into the neighborhood, look for what to represent that also represents us, we found Gabriel whistling and shouting at every passing car, we shared his meals, tough nights, hospitals, heart attacks. We filmed a bit of his life with him up there, by the river of metal.
Diverse Voices: Making Screen Work Different . 13’25”
Wellington
Six young filmmakers were selected and a diverse production crew interviewed them individually to make short profiles on their lives, and their work. Once completed, the group invited leaders in the screen industry to a screening – Wellington Mayor at the time awarded each of the six filmmakers a cash grant towards developing or finishing projects.
Echoes from the Alley: Water Tales in the Slums (Proposed Activity). 20’
Mumbai
A poetic and evocative title that conveys the story of water in underprivileged urban areas. It hints at the daily struggles and the constant effort to secure this essential resource, while also suggesting a narrative of community, hope, and the echoes of change that water can bring to a densely populated slum. This title reflects the profound impact that water has on the lives of those residing in the most challenging living conditions
Are these Flowers for Me? . 2,40′
Łódź
The film was produced during the workshop “Histories of the Future” organized by the educators from the National Centre for Film Culture in Łódź. For several weeks, under the supervision of educators and professional filmmakers, participants carefully watch, analyze and interpret on their own a selected Polish film in order to create an original film inspired by it. This film was prepared by an “open group” consisting of participants of all ages: secondary school and university students, adults as well as seniors.
El sueño. 12:45″
Terrassa
This short film has been supported by a NGO association committed to gender equality, no abuse and cultural promotion values. It combines amateur and professional staff giving the protagonist role to young performers. It has also been co-created involving professionals coming from the local universities. It was entirely located in iconic sites of Terrassa that depict the actual present situation of diversity and multiculturalism in the city. The football ecosystem, traditionally in hands of the men, becomes the perfect set for a story of collective triomphe.