Genius loci as a drifter

Niside Panebianco received a grant for the development of Genius loci as a drifter, a medium-length documentary exploring the legacy of Calabrian migration to São Paulo, Brazil. Combining archival materials, field research, interviews, and urban exploration, the film investigates how post-memory shapes identity among second-generation Italo-Brazilians and how layered histories of displacement are inscribed in the city’s spaces. Through its experimental and immersive approach, the project connects personal memory and collective history, revealing how migration continues to shape both people and places across generations.

Niside is an experimental filmmaker and visual researcher whose work explores memory, migration, and identity. Drawing from personal and collective archives, she investigates how stories of displacement and post-memory shape individual and community identities. Her practice combines photography, archival materials, and moving images to create immersive narratives that connect personal histories with broader social and spatial contexts.