Persistence of Violence

Violence and architecture

Violence is a constant part of our world. The films in this program show how this is reflected in the spaces people build and inhabit. For instance, 'Boomerang' depicts La Canebière in Marseille, built during the Algerian War. The film uses sounds and voices, including that of writer James Baldwin, to portray the building as a living being. The title refers to the theory of the 'imperial boomerang,' which posits that oppressive methods from colonies eventually return to the country of origin. The building thus becomes complicit in colonial crimes.

'Under the Glass' tells the story of Villa San Luis, a social housing complex in Santiago, Chile. Designed in 1971 under President Salvador Allende, this complex was developed in collaboration with its future residents. Following Pinochet's military coup, the residents were forcibly evicted. Now, the site symbolizes a lost utopian dream, with luxury apartments selling for high prices. In 'Even the Rocks Flew Away', Lebanese filmmaker Anis Nassereddine returns to affected areas in Beirut and southern Lebanon following Israeli bombardments. He searches for remnants of houses, bridges, villages, and cemeteries from his memory. This is a personal reflection on the violence in Lebanon and its impact on the sense of home and the past.