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Films
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Azerbaijan
History of Salaam
There was no public space to gather and form a community for the alternative youth, marginalized communities, and those who enjoy arts and crafts. Salaam cinema opened its doors to different communities and started its activity with movie screenings. The space got so much attention from youth and in return, from its owner as well. To a point, the owner claimed to destroy the building which is a historical Molokan worship house and said that he plans to build a mall instead of it. The community around Salaam liked the space so much and slowly it was turning into their “home”. And when someone tried to demolish the community and the “home” they newly brought back to life, young people started to resist keeping the space for its further use. Weeks of resistance happened where at some point people physically fought against the owner and carried out a sitting protest not to leave the space. Eventually, with the support of urban activists and the community, the resistance won and Salaam could survive! Now the space hosts many arts and entertainment events and it is a safe space for different marginalized communities. For many, there is a strong feeling of community around Salaam and since its start, the building has been flourishing and getting bigger!
Denmark
The Dump Station
The short centers around the people using the recycling center. When I accidentally stepped into this place, I was surprised by the scenery, because in Japan(where I can from), it is not normal for people to go to a recycling center. We put our boxes in the street, and the garbage truck will pick it up. In the dump station that I went to, of course there were carpenters and gardeners, but there were also many normal people. And I think if you are Danish, I imagine that it would be a norm from a young age to go to these recycling place. In a span of four days of filming, I asked 12 people how they felt about the place. Though there were few who felt negativity in the place, everyone agreed that it is good to dump the garbage by themselves because it is good for the environment, and that it is normal to do that. As I was shooting the film, I realized that “normality” was the key word for this short. Normality is dangerous because my normal is not your normal, and the perception of one’s normality can exclude people that is not within that normality. The short has a very positive atmosphere, but at the same time, it is important to note that that positivity could “leave someone behind”. Please enjoy.