Elsa Despoix, Pressure (2025)
Elsa began working on Pressure while attending the Future of Survival conference organised by the Locarno Film Festival and Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI). Surrounded by discussions on sustainability and cinema, she found herself looking down – literally – at the structures and cables under her feet. As an architect, she became curious about the physical borders and materials that make such a large event possible, especially in a space that was once swamp and forest. This curiosity led her to explore how the festival intersects with nature, history, and technology.
She wanted to document the festival’s infrastructure and the delicate balance between cultural celebration and environmental impact. Her camera naturally gravitated toward the ground: the seams between building materials, the quiet efforts of tiny insects, and the footprints we leave behind. Pressure is not meant to be a critique or a definitive answer. Instead, it is an invitation to observe, ask questions, and consider how we might do better – both in Locarno and beyond. By revealing the festival’s hidden layers, the project seeks to spark a dialogue on how art can be celebrated while protecting the environment.
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