Across the world, human communities are reviving the power of storytelling, guided by the idea that everything that should exist simply has not been tried somewhere, that what is lacking in our societies — in order to hope again — can be summed up in one word that combines idea, place and movement: utopia.

UTOPIAS offers unique portraits of women and men who, with disconcerting humility, decide to make their dreams of a different life persist at all costs. Whether it’s the Landless Worker’s Movement in Brazil, the Oasis of Peace in Israel, cooperativism in the heart of the Basque Country, Sarayaku territory in the heard of the Amazon, mobile ZADs on the roads of Belgium and France, or democracy under the Turkish and Syrian bombings, the key is to stay as close as possible to those who try to change the rules every day, to get out of the norm, to no longer blindly conform to it and thus invent other ways of making society.

Through singular portraits, these voices and experiences anchored in radically different contexts are for us a way to participate in these crucial attempts.

 

#1. OCCUPY EVERYWHERE
Directed by Henri Poulain
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#2. LAND AND LABOR
Directed by Henri Poulain
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#3. OASIS OF PEACE
Directed by Henri Poulain
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#4. SARAYAKU
Directed by Henri Poulain
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#5. LANDLESS WORKERS’ MOVEMENT
Directed by Henri Poulain
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#6. LONGO MAÏ UKRAINE | A Utopia facing chaos
Directed by Henri Poulain
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Directed by Henri Poulain
Written by Lauren Boudard, Julien Goetz, Sylvain Lapoix and Henri Poulain

Produced by Premières lignes & StoryCircus
French broadcaster: France.tv Slash
International sales: CLPB Rights

Festivals

SERIENCAMP Festival – Official selection (2023)

Sarayaku:
Prix Italia – Ifad – Copeam Special Prize
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival – Official selection (2023)

Oasis of peace:
FIGRA – Official selection – Autrement vu (2023)​
Traces de vies – Special screenings (2022)