Carlo A. Bachschmidt Вђ“ Black Block Вђ“ La Costruz... May 2026
: The documentary premiered at the 68th Venice International Film Festival in 2011 as part of the Controcampo Italiano competition.
: The film recounts the brutal midnight raid on July 21, 2001, where approximately 300 riot police stormed the Diaz-Pertini school, resulting in severe injuries and the mass arrest of over 90 activists.
: It details the subsequent "Mexican butchery" (as described by a police official) and torture that occurred at the Bolzaneto temporary detention facility. : The documentary premiered at the 68th Venice
The project shifts the focus away from the typical political analysis of the G8 and centers on the of seven activists from across Europe: Lena, Niels, Chabi, Mina, Dan, Michael, and Muli.
: Rather than just showing archival footage, Bachschmidt captures the survivors 10 years later. It portrays their struggle with "activist trauma," including anxiety, insomnia, and the long process of reclaiming their political identities after being criminalized. "La Costruzione del Nemico" (The Construction of the Enemy) The project shifts the focus away from the
: The project tracks the legal timeline from the initial Seattle protests (1999) to the controversial appeals and trials following the Genoa events, examining how democracy manages its "limits" through control. Impact and Recognition
The book and project's title refer to the of the "Black Block" as a singular, violent antagonist to justify extreme police measures. "La Costruzione del Nemico" (The Construction of the
: Reviewers from sites like Letterboxd and MYmovies.it note the film’s "icy crudeness," comparing its structure to a legal file that seeks fragments of truth through the survivors' tears and memories. (PDF) La Costruzione del Nemico (2011) - Academia.edu