Documentary on the ZAD of Notre-Dame-des-Landes Premieres at CinemAmbiente

The documentary 'The Spark' (L'Etincelle), directed by Valeria Mazzucchi and Antoine Harari, will premiere in Italy at the 24th CinemAmbiente Festival in Turin from October 1 to 6, 2021. The film follows the inhabitants of the ZAD (Zone à Défendre) of Notre-Dame-des-Landes near Nantes, France, over three years. The ZAD was established in 2008 to oppose the construction of a contested airport. The directors adopted an empathetic perspective, focusing on personal motivations rather than purely political analysis. They witnessed state violence aimed at evicting occupants, which they describe as a disproportionate military response. The ZAD represents a community in secession from capitalism, centering ecological struggles and opposition to private property, becoming a symbol for global socialist and environmental movements like the Italian No TAV. The documentary was previously selected at Visions du Réel festival.