Berlusconi's Mousetrap Screening: Derry: Saturday 30th November 9pm: Nerve Centre

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday November 26, 2002 21:54 by Irishhead irishheads at hotmail dot com

Berlusconi's Mousetrap - Produced by IMC Ireland - will be screened in Derry on Saturday Night. Berlusconi's Mousetrap is the longest and most comprehensive English Language Documentary on the events in Genoa that exists. It is on at 9pm in the Nerve Centre. I think this is the first screening of it in Derry. It is being shown as part of the Foyle Film Festival. Please spread the word in Activist circles. More info at www.foylefilmfestival.com

A BLURB:

The Protests against the G8 in July 2001 in Genoa Italy were the biggest and most significant protests in Western Europe since the Poll Tax riots in the UK. Italian Prime Minister Sylvio Berlusconi, wanting to impress his new best mate George W. Bush, orchestrated a brutal Media/Police preemptive strike on the Anti-Capitalist Movements' biggest First World mobilisation to date. When the weekend of protests ended Carlo Guiliani was dead and a school full of sleeping activists had been attacked in what is popularly referred to as the 'Chilean Night'. This film traces the events of the three days of protests in detail and poses the question - Was it all a setup? If Seattle was 'Star Wars' then this is 'The Empire Strikes Back'.

This feature length film is made from a combination of footage of the Genoa protests against the G8 shot by 10 members of IMC Ireland, material from the Italy IMC Archives and material from various other sources. This compelling footage combined with on the spot interviews and reenacted voiceover commentary and analysis from various websites which were active during the protests provides a in-depth blow by blow retelling of the story of the three days of the Genoa protests against the G8. Voiceover material is drawn from Italy Indymedia, The Critical Arts Ensemble, The Wu Ming Foundation, Guy Debord, Various Italian Newspapers, The association of Autonomous Astronauts and Ya Basta amongst others. It is the longest and most detailed English language film on the protests that currently exists. It also includes a full original soundtrack from The Wormholes and 5-ht.

What is in the video?

Well just about everything Berlusconi didn't destroy or keep for himself. - The stirring up of hype and fear by Berlusconi's Media Machine. Some weird news reports about Islamic Suicide Bombers. The Anti-aircraft guns in the harbour. The Ya Basta Declaration of War. The declaration of the Multitudes. The Joyous and defiant march for Immigrants rights on 19th July. A superhero called Supervideo and his progress. The Black Bloc. Direct Action with The White Overalls and the Pink and Silver Bloc. The Brignole Riot. The Cameraman who filmed the death of Carlo Guiliani. The Death of Carlo Guiliani. Police attacking White Overalls. An agit-prop Womble in full flight with a sweeping brush. A doctor attacked by hordes of rampaging Carabineiri. Berlusconi addresses the nation. That provocateur footage. Journalists with guns. Police helicopter footage. Hyper-violent Carabineri and Anti-Terrorism Police. The Diaz raid. The raid on GAP radio. Accounts of Bolzaneto Torture. Interviews with Agnoletto of the GSF, Black Bloc heads, Ref. Communista, Supervideo etc.

Voiceover and commentary?

Ya Basta, Wu Ming Foundation, Starhawk, Indymedia, Il Manifesto, Guy Debord, Autonomous Astronauts, Critical Arts Ensemble and others.

Soundtrack?

Wu Ming Foundation, The Wormholes, Brian (5-ht) and the Brass bands we recorded on the street.