ARTiculAction
Florencia Davidzon (Argentina / Mexico / USA)
The Marching Quixotes
Logline: A social worker, a political activist and an unemployed join the 15M Movement to march 500 km to Madrid on foot as repudiation of the sociopolitical status quo. Even though the 15M would eventually inspire groups such as Occupy Wall Street, the marching mates get to learn soon enough about the difficulties of changing the world by the hand of an unlikely fictional character. Synopsis: Every thousand-mile walk starts with a step. Silvia leaves her job as a social worker and takes that step after singing one of her songs at a protest. She joins the 15M Movement in Catalu単a. Miguel, who comes from a long anti-Franco family joins in with his son to teach him about social reform. Jack, an unemployed, finds in the march a place where he feels accepted. Despite their disparate backgrounds, the 15M movement represents their common vision: to create a world with a social, political and economical system that is inclusive and participatory. As they march their 21st century revolution brings out their brilliance as well as the groups contradictions. Silvia, Miguel and Jack first embrace the idea of direct democracy in order to organize the groups that march towards Madrid. They implement public assemblies and consensus, where the majority doesn't win. Instead they reach full consensus by working through every person's grievances and reservations. While this method assures that everybody is wholeheartedly involved and validated, it also makes meetings long and vulnerable to sabotage by their own members. It's then that the fictional character Don Quixote steps in to impart some lessons about human nature. As the march progresses through countless towns, Silvia meets an upper class French young man, whose family owns castles. They fall in love and her song becomes the anthem of the march. Miguel, in charge of water supply to the marchers, shares his years of activism
A still from THE MARCHING QUIXOTES
experience with the younger generation. Jack is the spokespersons in the public assembles and rescue stray dogs while on the road. Once in Madrid, the group sets up the biggest protest and attempts to present their grievances to the parliament, which was on vacation. They scatter across the country looking for new challenges with the wisdom of Don Quixote still whispering in their ears. Silvia, her new love and a small group of friends take over an abandoned house in the countryside to live communally. #196 Winter 48