Ten days of films, exchange, culture, new people, the beauty of Ticino, and fun.
What a ride. It feels like letters on a single sheet of paper could hardly describe this experience – perhaps one should make a film to honor it? – but I will give my best. Every story can be told in words.
Maybe I should start from the beginning. For me, that was the last NCCR MSE retreat in Grindelwald, where the opportunity to join this year’s ambassadors of science at the Locarno Film Festival was announced. I hope this does not sound arrogant, but in that moment, it was clear to me that I wanted to – and would – join. It didn’t seem like something merely possible or something I would have to hope for. I simply felt that I would go. The festival had no difficulty advertising itself to me, but now I had to sound convincing too. As scientists, we are not used to writing personal texts or expressing emotions. I enjoyed crafting an application that reflected my deeper motivation. Even though I was sure I would take part, I was still very happy to receive the final approval in the end.
So far, so good. The challenging part came next. Being sure that I would take part didn’t mean that I already had ideas about how to accomplish our mission – engaging in an exchange with people who shape culture across the world and helping them form their perspective on science. During our first meeting with the other four ambassadors, we quickly came up with the idea of a short film showing life in the lab. Not from the mainstream point of view – I know life science in the media either from a “generic intelligence agent has to save the world from a new bioweapon” angle or the “news about a new treatment shows boring people in laboratories” angle. We wanted the audience to see (in an artistically pleasing way, if possible) what we actually do. Without any intention to trigger specific emotions or thoughts, just to show what is. After our short film was done, I felt relieved because I knew we had made something outstanding. We aliens had come to a place of natives already speaking their language.
In my opinion, the hardest part was over after that moment. For a filmmaker and a scientist, the work is done before presenting the result. Presenting is the time to enjoy the reactions and engage in discussions about what has been shown. Because of that, I was able to enjoy my time in Locarno. From watching movies with the other ambassadors, to discussing societal and moral issues, personal experiences and feelings, fears, hopes, and so much more, I had an intense time with my peers and with many different people I met.
It is hard to pinpoint certain moments from those ten days that could serve as the essence of the whole experience. Whatever I would pick and share would have a very subjective touch, right? So, I want to wrap it up in a more objective manner. I think what we were allowed to take part in is something of utmost importance for society, and similar initiatives should be considered as often as possible. Democracy and society need their most important minds – broadly speaking: people who create values, goods, or knowledge that will be consumed by or affect others – to be understanding and open-minded. The best way to become such a mind is through cultural exchange and exposure to as many perspectives as possible.
In my opinion, the scientific world is often too focused on capitalistic values. People who come out of science often become leaders in some way. Do we want our leaders to be open-minded or money-driven? In that sense, I believe initiatives like this consortium between the NCCR and the Locarno Film Festival should be valued for what they are: a platform for exchange between creators in culture and science.
Berk
I believe that science and art, though seemingly different, share common values like creativity, expression, and impact. They can enrich each other: artistic work sometimes misses structure, while science lacks charisma and accessibility. I tried to embrace a synergy between art and science during my Chemistry studies and the work within my band. Now, as a PhD student at the ETH I’m interested in making science more relatable and emotionally resonant.
By participating, I hope to connect with people from diverse fields, learn from their perspectives, and explore new ways to bridge the gap between scientific communication and artistic expression. I want to contribute to something meaningful and have fun while doing it.