Synergy spreads peace. Even at the cinema

By Dario Cambiano

In recent days, the film festival created by our Study Centre, Give Peace a Screen, was hosted by the Festival delle Missioni and the Municipality of Modica: two events that allowed us to create synergy by talking to dozens of people and discussing together how art, specifically cinema, can contribute to peace processes.

Cinema mirrors our behaviour and attitudes, and observing ourselves “from the outside”, through the staging created by other human beings, allows us to increase our awareness of the present.

First and foremost, it allows us to recognise that the first step for all of us is to face conflicts, which are one. Overcoming our fear of them helps us to face them with greater determination.

This was discussed both at the Festival delle Missioni and, online, with Modica. The short films shown on both occasions allowed us to observe how war, the ultimate conflict, arises and reproduces itself in fear, inaction and, unfortunately, in the indifference that surrounds it on the part of those who are not directly involved.

They also allowed us to see how cinema can actively contribute to raising people's awareness, and this has been clearly seen in the West with the dozens of documentaries and films made available by pro-Palestinian activists: a wealth of art available free of charge that has contributed greatly to raising the consciousness of an increasingly “sleepwalking” West.

The short film, which Give Peace A Screen has chosen to promote as widely as possible, allows hundreds of filmmakers or simple reporters to bear witness from war zones with very few financial resources. Sometimes all it takes is a phone to shake the conscience of the whole world.

Give Peace A Screen is organising the next edition, the third, which will feature some major innovations, starting with new ways of presenting the short films, which will always be accompanied by journalists who will discuss them with the audience. See you in March 2026!

In the meantime, you can ask us to visit you, organising evenings of reflection on peace in your associations, schools and local councils. It's easy: just write to givepeaceascreen@serenoregis.org

We look forward to your invitations!