Winners
Winners 2006
Virna Molina et Ernesto Ardito
VIRNA MOLINA and ERNESTO ARDITO, from Argentina, were awarded a US $5,000 grant for post-production on their film “Heart of Factory”. The jury underlined the social and political importance of the subject matter (the struggle for democratic unions), as well as the richness and depth of their research, the trust established with the factory workers, the strength of the individual characters, the filmmakers’ ability to navigate the challenges and contradictions the workers encountered during production, and the quality of the cinematography
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
After the owners of the Zanon Ceramic Factory in Argentina close their doors, the workers of the factory decide to take over the running of the factory and continue to manufacture without bosses. This is a permanent challenge where every day they fight against a political and economic system that attempts to boycott them. As the film reveals, however, their biggest obstacle does not come from the outside, but from within the workers themselves as pioneers of social change. Although many of them do not know it, if they win this internal battle, they will lay the foundation for a completely different world.
The grant obtained from the Alter-Ciné Foundation provided us with an artistic freedom and the ability to express an independent point-of-view that were vital to making our film. This grant also allowed us to purchase our own editing equipment and to devote an entire year to post- production, which would have been impossible under film industry conditions in our country.
– Virna Molina
The Alter-Ciné Foundation has demonstrated not only an exemplary honesty and efficiency, but also the true meaning of the word “compañero”: companionship for the long haul. Through good times and bad, we never felt alone. Your support allowed us to construct and denounce, to fight for the dignity of our people, to be both human, the camera’s eye, and to practice the art and craft of filmmaking.
– Ernesto Ardito