JOANNA JANIKOWSKA

Simone, Francesca, and Olivia are three young people from Bologna, who join the local Communist Renewal Party. Full of energy and ideals, they take part in demonstrations and party meetings and believe that they can change the world – dominated by ruthless capitalism – for the better. However, their optimism fades as they struggle to change the views of older party members who got stuck in the past, and the protagonists' failed attempts to gain new supporters mix with growing difficulties in their personal lives. Comrades is an empathetic time-lapse portrait that shows how the current young generation is losing its illusions due to social and economical pressure, and how difficult it is to keep faith in what we believe makes sense.
 

​"Through the stories of Olivia, Francesca, and Simone, I explore themes shared by many 20- to 30-year-olds: overstimulation, confusion, and awareness of social inequalities, contrasted with the struggle to translate good intentions into actions that bring about real change."

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