Finesse. Depth. Collective strength. The pianist, composer, and initiator of Der Grosse Bär (The Great Bear) leads his ensemble with sensitivity and musical clarity, setting impulses through listening and creating spaces in which every voice matters.

A remarkably rich evening took place at the Cinema Ex Rex in Locarno, organized by Carovana091 and the Circolo del Cinema di Locarno. The event opened with the second part of From Ground Zero, a collective feature film produced by Rashid Masharawi and Laura Nikolov, in which young Palestinian filmmakers and artists merge their perspectives on life under siege.

Even in Australia, despite the geographic distance, Gaza has caused a profound social upheaval. The events have sparked waves of empathy, compassion, and outrage – as they have in many parts of the world. In Australia, where many people were born abroad or have immigrated, this emotional and cultural connection bridges any physical distance.

The independent experimental scene is not part of the capitalist, commercial culture industry. Its goal is not to produce marketable products, but to engage in artistic and societal processes. Its economic value is low - and will likely remain so.

Heartfelt thanks to RSI Cultura and Vasco Viviani for the wonderful feature dedicated to our event on Monday evening at the GranRex!

The Circolo del Cinema Locarno is a historic film club in the Canton of Ticino, Switzerland, dedicated since 1992 to promoting cinema as an art form and cultural medium.