From Iari:

Hi Everyone,

I’m very happy to announce my participation in the 2021-2022 UnionDocs Collaborative program! It’s an extremely exciting journey I’m about to embark on – I’m looking so much forward to being part of this 9-months film residency at UnionDocs, in New York.

First of all, I want to thank all the people who helped me to get here. I seriously could not make it without the support of my family and my girlfriend. My friends all around the world, who have been witnessing my process, have supported me and listened to me when I was anxious about my future. What a patience you guys have! I couldn’t have done it without my mentors, my teachers, and my friends at the Baltic Film Media and Arts School.
Thanks to all of you, from the bottom of my heart.

I’ve never participated in a crowdfunding campaign before, and I wish I had a quick way to convince you of how important this is to me. Asking for money is awkward, but that’s what I need to do in my early career as a filmmaker.
Your contribution will allow me to pay for the program and part of the residency, and in doing so you will enable me to continue telling important stories.

I believe that social and cultural change is happening and, within it, there are many different voices that need to be heard. Amplifying those voices is important to me, and it makes me feel connected with them. That’s what I seek in life: a connection with people. It makes me feel human and it reminds me that we’re here to comprehend, listen, and help each other.

UnionDocs’ CoLab is a collaborative program that fosters ideas to grow within a community. As a filmmaker, working in collaboration with a community of peers is the best catalyst for growth and creativity to blossom and I believe that, in this environment, I’ll be able to give an outlet to those voices while producing work that I’m proud of.

Thank you for supporting me.

***

Ciao a tutti,

Sono felicissimo di essere stato selezionato per partecipare a Union Docs – Collaborative Program, la residenza di cinema documentario di 9 mesi che si terrà a New York!

Non sono arrivato fin qui da solo.

Sono incredibilmente grato a tutti voi. Non sarei mai riuscito senza il supporto della mia famiglia, delle mie sorelle e della mia ragazza. Ai miei carissimi amici Italiani, a quelli sparsi in tutto il mondo, a quelli che mi hanno visto crescere negli anni, che mi hanno supportato, ascoltato e creduto in me: non ce l’avrei mai fatta senza di voi. Voi che avete ascoltato le mie infinite ansie sul futuro, che pazienza che avete avuto! Ai professori, ai colleghi ed agli amici della Baltic Film Media and Arts School che mi hanno spronato con le loro critiche: mi avete fatto crescere.

Grazie. Grazie mille!

Non ho mai partecipato ad una campagna crowdfunding. Non è semplice racchiudere in poche frasi l’importanza che questo progetto di residenza abbia per me. Chiedere soldi è difficile, ma questo è quello che devo fare agli inizi della mia carriera.

Con il vostro contributo mi aiuterete a pagare il costo della residenza ed in questo modo mi darete la possibilità di continuare a raccontare storie importanti, a dar voce a chi ha cose da dire – a chi porta il vento del cambiamento dentro di se e vuole soffiarlo sugli altri.

Fare documentario per me vuol dire parlare degli altri per parlare di me. Ascoltare i silenzi ed i vuoti degli altri al fine di per ascoltare i miei: tutto questo mi fa sentire semplicemente connesso all’altro.

Union Docs – Collaborative Program nutre, investe e consolida progetti di film documentari che nascono dalla collaborazione dei 12 artisti selezionati. Tramite i workshop e le masterclass organizzate ci sarano registi, produttori, attivisti ed artisti da tutto il mondo che porteranno opportunità di crescita agli autori in residenza. La finalità è raccontare storie di cambiamento e farle arrivare ad un pubblico che sia il più vasto possibile, in festival in tutto il mondo. Penso che la collaborazione sia il modo per far fiorire progetti creativi e credo fermamente che in questo ambiente sarò in grado di realizzare documentari di cui sono orgoglioso.

Grazie per il supportato

Un abbraccio,

Iari

Iari Varriale is a filmmaker born in 1990 in Tuscany, Italy. He graduates with a Master of Science in Chemistry at the University of Pisa, he was awarded two years in a row a merit-based scholarship to attend the Baltic Film Media and Arts School, where he earned a Master of Arts in Documentary Film. Iari works with observational, experimental documentaries as well as film essays, with a focus on sustainability and social causes. His films have been shown in festivals in Italy, Estonia, Russia, and North America. He currently works between Italy and Estonia.

You can check out more of his work on his Vimeo page.

About the CoLAB: The UnionDocs Collaborative Studio (CoLAB) is a 10 month program for a select group of media artists from the US and abroad. Based in one of NYC’s most exciting neighborhoods, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, CoLAB offers a platform for exploring contemporary approaches to the documentary arts and a process for developing an innovative collaborative project. The program consists of weekly production meetings, seminars, screenings and other public programs, along with regular masterclasses and critiques with visiting artists.

In a recent article in The New York Times, film scholar Scott MacDonald, remarked, “UnionDocs has a healthy sense that the older definitions of what constitutes ‘experimental’ cinema and what constitutes ‘documentary’ are up for grabs.” Similarly, the UnionDocs Collaborative Studio represents a new and alternative fellowship model, offering residency and visa support for six participants coming from abroad and an equal number of spots for local, non-resident participants. It is designed to be affordable and, although participants are asked to make CoLAB their primary creative focus, the schedule does accommodate full-time or freelance work. Rather than applying with a project proposal or rough cut, all participants are selected on the basis of previous work and enter the program at square one, open to discovery and fresh connections.

UnionDocs is not simply the host for this activity, it takes an active role producing the collection of short documentary works that comprise the collaborative project. The theme or focus for the year is chosen by the Artistic Director, and resources and research to support this direction are gathered. The CoLAB Director leads the group through an incremental process where new ideas and new partnerships form; each participant finding their own avenues of creative contribution. Regular readings and assignments for seminars stimulate creativity, open discussion and debate, and offer a common set of references for the group. Master classes with visiting artists provide encouragement, inspiration and exposure to a diverse set of conceptual perspectives and practical methods. As projects reach their final edit, unique plans for exhibition and distribution are formulated. The Brooklyn Rail summed it up with the title of their feature article: “UnionDocs Brings Auteurs Together”. For some, participation in the program may lead to further study. For others, it may lead to independent projects or strengthened careers within the industry. For all, it is an unparalleled immersion in the expansive field of documentary art. Learn more about the UnionDocs Collaborative Studio here.