Wed, 06.08.25
Today marked the beginning of an inspiring journey as five scientists from across disciplines came together to represent the NCCR at BaseCamp 2025, part of the iconic Locarno Film Festival!
We travelled from Basel to Locarno by train, soaking in the breathtaking Swiss landscapes, a fitting transition from science to art. Upon arrival, we explored the beautiful Locarno city center, full of history, color, and cinematic energy.
Thanks to the super-efficient BaseCamp team, we settled in and freshened up seamlessly, feeling ready and energized to dive into this exciting adventure!
The evening took us to the glamorous Opening Ceremony, setting the tone for the creative exchange ahead. To close the day, we shared a warm dinner at a cozy family-run restaurant in Ascona, amazing food and even better company.
We’re beyond excited to kick off this unique week where science meets storytelling. Stay tuned as we dive into conversations, collaborations, and unexpected intersections between our worlds of research and art.
Catarina Monteiro Gomes, NCCR MSE Science Ambassador 2025
Thu, 07.08.25
Day 2 of Basecamp was officially opened and we immediately jumped on that roller coaster: As scientists we often take most joy in planning experiments and analyzing the results. But the in-between, the process, is sometimes perceived as a necessary evil. Here, in a space mostly composed of artists, there is a indulgence in the process. And this is visible in every aspect, be it what sounds are crafted to support the atmosphere or how food is served. Will we, at the end, bring this spirit back into our labs?
More reflection would have been possible, if there was not the next big event that demanded our attention. Shortly after leaving Basecamp we attended the first screening of the movie „Sehnsucht in Sangerhausen“, which we are still discussing hours later. Again I could go on reflecting, but I type this report in the middle of the first Basecamp party...
Denijel Yeu Latifovic, NCCR MSE Science Ambassadors 2025
Fri, 08.08.25
We're really beginning to feel the festival rhythm. As we grapple with a newfound language, our conversations are shifting in tone and topic. We are reflecting on what a unique and amazing experience this is, something only possible within the ethos of the NCCR MSE. Perhaps most importantly, we're growing as scientists.
Today I watched a round of international films. 4 shorts, 1 blockbuster and a Q&A. Films from Laos, Switzerland, Iran, Belgium and America. All ranging in style, feeling, composition, tone and texture. Each led to a reflection on the central ideas and similarities between creative and scientific production. Of these films, I enjoyed 'Air Horse One' the most (it was the Swiss one, but definitely not a biased choice). The film was about the journey of 'Legacy', an American show horse shipped all over the world. The film contrasted absurdities of the show world against Legacy's natural force. Moments of levity led to sympathetic scenes of her seemingly endless journey. Legacy dutifully plodding on, in that animalistic grace and constancy.
This gentle depiction of nature, that which we study, filled me with inspiration. I thought about how we approach and unpick it. How, in many ways, science can sometimes act as equivalent to the 'horse show world' placing biological forms under scrutiny, manipulation and spectacle. We only ever really partially observe the beautiful and yet incomprehensible thing that drifts, temporarily under our gaze. I cannot wait to experience more of Locarno and especially, to reflect on our homemade film about Life Science lab work. The opportunity to do this with genuine artists and filmmakers has already been wholly enriching.
Robert Strutt, NCCR MSE Science Ambassador 2025
Sat, 09.08.25
I completely arrived here in the last few days. Not just in Locarno – this beautiful setting that combines the best aspects of two naturally different cultures – but also in the festival flow. Every day leaves its mark. New people, different conversations, unknown pictures that often condense down to some major topics of our time but also to things that are inherent issues for us humans.
But maybe let’s unroll it technically first:
If we want to be very precise (and since I am writing this in a role as a scientist, I will be), my day started exactly at 00:00. I visited the screening of a horror movie on Piazza Grande. Now (self-defined) cultivated people might roll their eyes since horror movies are not particularly a good base for an elevated discussion at first sight. This one, however – named Together (definitely worth watching) – took a real horror scenario that is basically the truth for a lot of people and made a graphical horror out of it. It is orbiting codependent relationships between partners and how they are not able to survive individually even though they don’t work as one. While this often means just a mental barrier in real life, this movie turned it into a physical one, ultimately leading to biological fusion. So, something to talk about afterwards and not just a jump scare for 90 minutes.
After the movie I made it to bed at 3 a.m., but I am not here to sleep, right? So the actual fourth day started in a hurry to reach the workshop I signed up for: “Stop and smell the herbs.” Task was easy: collect everything that you can find that you want to create a scent out of. In groups of five we walked around in Locarno’s (more or less) public gardens and smelled everything. And took as much as we could. In the end we had a wild mixture that smelled weirdly okay, but as always, the objective outcome is never the important thing. During a chat with a filmmaker from Ticino I came across something that a lot of conversations boil down to. After she told me that she studied in Switzerland and is now producing documentaries, I asked her if film producers generally take the academic path. Her answer was: successful filmmakers not having to go through that usually have rich parents.
Since I personally never had the problem of having rich parents, I totally related to what she said. I could fill pages with my opinion on this, but I want to make it short. I had quite a Swiss thought on it: You can reach the top of the mountain by walking up or by taking the cable car. You will enjoy the view at the top more when you walk.
The Base Camp hosted a networking flying dinner event in the evening. I fought for some pieces of a great lasagna they made on site – Locarno is spoiling multiple senses at once. Well, the most satisfying part of this event was in between my journeys through the jungle that immediately formed around the staff coming out of the kitchen. A few of us were engaged in a conversation with an Ethiopian filmmaker. And we went through all of it. From artists and scientists being dependent on big publishers to AI gaining consciousness. Would a true AI consider a human as a dog or pig? It seemed to worry him to see that scientists are afraid as well.
Public opinions made by media and impact on our societies. Religion. Capitalism. Colonialism. Multipolarity… We were asked to leave since the Base Camp was shutting its doors for the night. I really would like to see Ethiopia. He invited me to visit him in Addis Ababa. I asked him if it was safe to travel. He said yes. Well. Of course, only the parts where there is no war.
Berk Kocar, NCCR MSE Science Ambassador 2025
Sun, 10.08.25
Swiss cities are renowned for their extraordinary peacefulness and breathtaking mountain landscapes. They are less known, however, for cultural hedonism of the everyday kind. Yet, in Locarno during the Film Festival, the streets tell a different story. Here, international movie premieres, filmmakers, art directors, and writers fill the picturesque narrow alleys, which transform into open-air cinemas and hubs for cultural discussion. Diversity, creativity, and curiosity thrive, sparking energetic collaborations.
Within this vibrant setting, five scientists along with the NCCR MSE Head of Ethics have been navigating their place and identity as part of BASECAMP. Over these intense days, I have been reflecting on my own role as a scientist in such a setting — questioning what it means to participate in a cultural environment so different from the office.
Some answers emerged during today's NCCR MSE group meeting, over the most delicious cherry tomato pasta prepared by the lovely Carla. While sharing the meal, we exchanged ideas about the scientist’s role in society, how science is perceived by non-scientific audiences, and how science communication can bridge the gap between these worlds.
The warm afternoon gave way to the cool air-conditioned gym room of BASECAMP, where we attended two masterclasses.
Masterclass 1 — Jean-Stéphane Bron: Documentaries & Reality
The first was a conversation with filmmaker Jean-Stéphane Bron on the importance of documentaries in questioning reality and representing different aesthetics and perspectives. He spoke about Mais im Bundeshuus, his documentary on the Swiss parliament, which gave society a rare glimpse into its inner workings. Unlike conventional filmmaking, documentaries — in his view — are freer and wilder, with fewer barriers between creator and subject. For him, it’s about creating a framework that allows interaction with reality rather than observing it from a sterile distance.
He also discussed Cleveland versus Wall Street, exploring the power of economics, and L’Expérience Blocher, portraying the far-right figure Christoph Blocher. This film’s tense, cinematic aesthetic was deliberately chosen to intervene in reality and to highlight how political language can be corrupted. Sometimes, the best way to depict a figure is not through direct conversation, but through observation.
In Cinq nouvelles du cerveau, Bron examines the political ideologies embedded in science, imagining a future shaped by concentrated scientific power. His work made me reflect on how personal visions inevitably shape creative and scientific outputs — and how these visions evolve through collaboration with others.
Masterclass 2 — Giulia Walter: Copyright & Creativity
The second masterclass, with Giulia Walter, delved into the benefits and consequences of copyright across artistic fields. She contrasted the Eurocentric model of art — focused on the solitary creator — with collective production and the freedom of expression in marginalised Black communities. She also addressed the impact of AI on copyright and the defence of human creativity.
Her talk made me consider the parallels in science: how originality, whether in research or art, deserves both protection and accessibility. True progress depends on sharing knowledge widely, fostering learning, collaboration, and community.
The evening unfolded with concerts and performances at BASECAMP, a testament to their dedication to showcasing diverse artistic talent. I ended the day with my favourite festival tradition — watching a film under the stars in the magical Piazza Grande.
These days in Locarno have left me with new questions, deeper insights, and a smile in my heart.
Elena Sofia D’Ambrosio, NCCR Science Ambassador 2025
Mon, 11.08.25
Six days in, and the Locarno Film Festival no longer feels like a place I am visiting, it feels like a language I am slowly learning.
I woke to a warm, golden summer morning , the kind that insists you step outside, breathe deeply, and let nature set the pace.
The heart of my day was the workshop RIVER LANDSCAPES – Speculative Writing & Oral History Works. I had signed up thinking we would talk about rivers in literature. Instead, we were invited to write with the river, not merely as scenery, but as a living partner with its own voice and memory.
We settled by the water’s edge, listening. The river spoke in ripples and currents, in the quiet negotiation between stone and stream. “River writing” asked us to give shape to what we felt: the smell of damp earth, the shimmer of sunlight on moving water, the echoes of stories it has carried for centuries. Some of us wrote myths, others unearthed fragments of personal history, as if the current had pulled them from a place we had forgotten we could reach. What struck me most was how, despite coming from different disciplines, cultures, and languages, we could weave our voices together into shared tales. In a short span of time, we co-created small histories, pieces of collective memory, that now belong to the river as much as they belong to us.
Later, the flow of the day carried me into the “AI Game Show – If AI is the Answer, What is the Question?”, where filmmaker Radu Jude, artist-theorist Hito Steyerl, and media historian Antonio Somaini turned a panel into a playful yet piercing inquiry into our future with machines. If the river earlier had taught me to listen to nature’s memory, this game show reminded me to listen to the questions we ask of technology, and to notice the silences between them. Where the river tells stories without words, AI can generate words without stories; the challenge lies in reuniting them.
In the evening, I watched The Deal, a gripping series on the Iran-US nuclear negotiations in Switzerland. The tense exchanges between diplomats echoed another kind of current with politics shaping the course of history in ways as subtle and unstoppable as the river’s own erosion of stone. I was struck by how both art and politics are forms of negotiation: of meaning, of trust, of what future becomes possible.
What unites these moments, writing with a river, playing with AI’s riddles, witnessing high-stakes diplomacy, is the shared act of translation. Between languages, between human and machine, between nations, between past and future. And perhaps festivals like Locarno are the rare spaces where these translations can flow into one another, making us see the connections we didn’t know were there.
Tonight, I will fall asleep still hearing the river’s sound, carrying fragments of my words, and holding close the friendships forged in this extraordinary experiment I have embarked on at the Locarno Film Festival, bonds, memories and knowledge I know will stay with me far beyond these days.
Catarina Monteiro Gomes, NCCR MSE Science Ambassador 2025
Tue, 12.08.25
It has been a week in Locarno and I feel like my experiences have amalgamated. Luckily, our interview with Michael Berger, soon airing from Aarau, gave me a moment of insight that put the pieces together.
The interview was held at the red carpet, just adjacent to the monumental Piazza Grande, where usually the main events take place. This setting helped us to find the appropriate amount of confidence and respect to take into the interview, and as a result, each of us delivered long and unfiltered reflection.
When it was my turn, the conversation turned to the responsibility of scientists in shaping our technological future. In my opinion, while scientist should generally be free to explore their ideas, follow their intuition and curiosity, they should not be left alone in deciding which technologies should be developed. To increase the chances of identifying the actual needs of our society, it is crucial to invite as many perspectives as possible into the discussion. A broad dialogue will not just help guide decisions, but also stimulate creativity, foster trust and ensure that innovation serves public good.
In the end science is not just about what can be done, but also about what should be done. This is the spirit that has brought us here to the Locarno Film Festival, where we are continuing to prosper from shared vision and collective wisdom.
Denijel Yeu Latifovic, NCCR MSE Science Ambassador 2025
Wed, 13.08.25
Today began as yesterday ended, with the big industry, basecamp and press event of Locarno film festival. In true spirit, a totally diverse, international mix of talented individuals were effortlessly brought together under the moonlight, sharing a will to dance, connect and have fun. Work hard, play hard and release when necessary. And, when all is said and done, spend a (very early) morning walk back filled with conversation above a tinnitus buzz.
The event took place in a school. Fitted out appropriately and a somehow apt host. A purposeful, educational setting, and one that will be reset, returned to its natural purpose. Just like how humble Locarno will too and the whole chaotic energy of the festival will seem as if it never happened. Like with all such events held in public spaces in Switzerland (Basler Fasnacht comes to mind), no doubt the school was cleaned today, residue scrubbed away and the place left spotless. The festival is indeed nearing an end. Our group has grown together on this journey. Today we spent time to further prepare for our basecamp masterclass event tomorrow. We are so excited to share this with our newfound network of like minded peers that we've met under moonlight and masterclass.
Robert Strutt, NCCR MSE Science Ambassador 2025
Thu, 14.08.25
So the great day had come. On this day, we hosted our workshop in the Basecamp – precisely in the school gym, which was equipped with a large screen, an audio system, and microphones for moderation and discussion.
Our workshop was scheduled after a podium discussion about the use of films as part of university classes in medicine. Maik – the physician who had accompanied us with his students over the previous days in many discussions, workshops, and screenings – talked about the advantages of showing the fate of patients through movies to his students. Relating emotionally, he said, would help future doctors gain a deeper understanding of how diseases and treatments impact patients’ lives.
Partially paralyzed by the personal stories the participants shared – and by the AC, which reminded me of a cartoon motif: someone trying to shovel water out of a sinking ship with a bucket – I almost forgot what would come next. Our presentation! What were the first questions that were supposed to break the ice again?
Stephano Knuchel, organizer of the BaseCamp, who led the previous discussion, invited Ralf, our NCCR MSE ethicist, to introduce us. Ralf – perfectly trained in how to talk on stage – gave an introduction about why we were here and what we wanted to show and talk about: five young researchers presenting their life in science with a short film. How do the things we do look? How do they sound? How do they make others feel about what we do? Is it easier to connect with us when we speak through art instead of using big and complex words?
After our six-minute film – which seemed to impress the filmmakers in terms of execution and artistic capability – the discussion we had been looking forward to since our first day here started. In that moment, it felt like we had been collecting ingredients for this moment throughout the whole festival, and now it was time to cook. Deni and Catarina led the discussion as moderators in a very natural way. We initiated the conversation with our motivation for the film: in our opinion, science is almost always communicated in a very abstract, sterile, and elevated way. We wanted to be real. What we do is often boring; it is white, clean, sometimes it stinks, and unnatural and loud noises surround us. But somehow we are disconnected from this and try to create something colorful. Each one of us mentioned our own issues with science communication and our lives as scientists. This created a very intimate atmosphere with the audience, and it felt like the participants were really asking questions that were in their personal interest. I really enjoyed this discussion for an hour. Unfortunately, we had to end it to allow the next workshop to start.
In the end, this day felt like the Kirsche auf der Torte. It was not this particular day that was important – every day was.
I loved my time here. I got to know so many new people and perspectives. It shaped me and my peers in a way a few more days of lab work never could. We are already discussing ideas on outreach with people we met here, so maybe it was also fruitful for the future?
Ah, and most importantly: I had fun.
Berk Kocar, NCCR MSE Science Ambassador 2025
Fri, 15.08.25
You know when you wake up and think, “Is this my life?”
Well, sometimes I’ve been lucky enough to feel that way. But you only truly taste the beauty of memories once they’ve had time to form in your mind. And sometimes reality is so far beyond what you could ever have pictured for yourself. It’s a constant alternation between astonishment and joy — and, of course, moments of rushing around and sleeping on very thin hostel mattresses.
For ten days, my “house” was a bunk bed at the basecamp with Cat, surrounded by countless new faces: Ralf, our NCCR MSE ethicist; Rob, Berk, Deni; Grotto Baldoria; Palaexpo; Piazza Grande. Thousands of strangers under the stars watching a movie, just after seeing a Hollywood icon receive a career award for changing the history of cinema.
The question I kept asking myself was: Why am I here? Why am I so privileged to share this magical experience with these exact people I bonded with? How did my different identities — scientist, writer, stand-up comic — all converge to bring me to this place, with these exact people?
The only answer I have is that it was a journey, step by step, that culminated yesterday during our masterclass as NCCR Ambassadors. We tried to explore how art and science connect, how to bridge the gap between scientific and non-scientific audiences. I felt as if each of us had been born to be in that precise moment, sharing our experiences in perfect harmony. Everything just worked out beautifully — like the happy ending of my favourite movie.
But then came the epilogue. This morning, our last day in Locarno, after a sleepless night of deep conversations, Catarina and I met with a film director from Peru and Angel Wang, an animation director from Taiwan. We had worked together on a story, Water Seasons, and Angel wants to turn it into a short animated film. What a wonderful experience — two scientists collaborating with filmmakers. It’s completely different from writing articles, jokes, or poems. Filmmakers see images we cannot see; they have a vision that shapes the story in new ways. My writer’s identity felt like a kid trying out a new toy for the first time — pure excitement. I learned that there are multiple truths and identities within a person’s life. You can be all of them, if you enjoy the process.
And the conclusion of this journey? A final coffee together — with cakes from Carla — joined by Ralf. Because why not treat ourselves a little more, after already having been gifted the perfect group of five people meant to share this time together? I have to admit, I finally had my best coffee experience in Locarno on this very last day. After all, Ticino is not Italy… but it’s still Switzerland.
Elena Sofia D’Ambrosio, NCCR Science Ambassador 2025