The film “Occupy, Resist, Produce – RiMaflow” on a recuperated factory in Milan, Italy, was directed and produced by Dario Azzellini and Oliver Ressler.
Maflow, located on the periphery of Milan, was a transnational car parts producer. It closed in 2009 following fraudulent bankruptcy, and was sold again in 2010. The new owner never restarted production and closed the plant in December 2012 removing most of the machinery.
In February 2013 former Maflow workers, precarious workers and workers from a closed nearby factory occupied the plant. The 20 workers participating in the recuperated factory completely reinvented the plant. They are recycling computers and electronic household devices, opened a bar and cafeteria, organize a flea market, activities with the community, and have built alliances with organic agricultural producers. They plan to transform the factory into a plant for industrial recycling. As former Maflow worker Mariarosa Missaglia explains, they want to “show that even without an employer this can be achieved”. Gigi Malabarba adds “We can win if we increase tenfold and a hundredfold experiences such as these. If the economy of the bosses is in crisis, we need to develop a different idea of economics”.
“Occupy, Resist, Produce – RiMaflow” follows the workers in their activities as well as in their debates.
The film is the first in a series of films on workers’ take overs’ in Europe.
“Occupy, Resist, Produce – RiMaflow”, 34 min., 2014
Italian with English subtitles
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