Io sono morto / I’m Dead

[ENGLISH BELOW]

Il titolo non è provocatorio. E’ quello che Youssef ha detto a Manuela Cigliutti quando si sono conosciuti alla Stazione Centrale di Milano.

La storia (che vedrete qui sotto) è semplice nella sua drammaticità: si arriva in Italia con la speranza di una vita migliore, lasciandosi dietro la famiglia, la casa, tutto. La vita, poi, quella con tutte le lettere minuscole, ci mette del suo e qualcosa va storto.

Si entra allora in un loop di disperazione nel quale si abbandona la speranza di risollevarsi. E ci si considera morto. “Io sono morto”, ripete Youssef, “ditelo a mio figlio in Marocco”.

E’ una storia, purtroppo, come tante, troppe. Se siete a Milano, andatelo a trovare. Sarà ancora lì forse… Ditegli che non è morto. Aiutamolo a ritornare dal figlio o, almeno, a parlargli.

In ogni caso, impariamo a guardare l’invisibilità e a non ignorarla. E tutto lì. Non ignoriamoli.

Antonio

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I’M DEAD

(foto and text: Manuela Cigliutti, video: Antonio Amendola, music: Walter Mazzaccaro)
 
I won’t add much to the images and the text of the conversation between S4C Manuela Cigliutti and Youssef, a Morocco homeless sleeping in Milan Central Station.
 
It’s about a lost bet for a better life, it’s about dramatic spins of Life that puts you in a loop from where it’s difficult to escape, it’s about the loss of hope and it’s about invisibilty.
 
And it’s about us not being able anymore to see what surrounds us.
 
Y: What do you want, what you want from me, give me a cigarette, don’t you see where I am?
 
Milan, Central Station, 10 January 2010″

 

 

 

 
 
M: yes, I can see you, do you sleep here tonight?
Y: yes, the tents that gave us to stay are stinking inside and turn the blades. I am from Morocco, are you familiar with Morocco? have you ever been with your money in Morocco?
M: No, I never seen Morocco. What’s your name?
Y: Youssef. I went to Brescia (Italy) and I was a bricklayer my resident permit was ok. I lived with my wife, she was a domestic worker…..and a son, 6 year old, he was….6 year, now 11. But, don’t you see how I am now? I’m dead, I’m a dead man. There was a house and work, and a resident permit, I’m not Illegal and not even my wife…. After, my wife was sick, a cancer. We stay 15 days into the hospital , 15 days, and after, she died, immediately, immediately…………so I brought my son in Morocco, to my parents, to make him feel good because I had to work in Italy. When I’m back in Italy, my work was not for me, I was unemployed….I sent all my money in Morocco to my son, I was poor, jobless, and soon a Homeless.
Friends told me that in Milano was a lot of jobs, but I’m not interesting to the drugs, I don’t want drugs. So I never found a job, in Milano and now, I’m here….I’m a dead man. When I had money I phoned in Morocco to my son every month, and he told me “Dad, when you come home? ” . Now I’ve finished my money to phone in Morocco.
M: How long you don’t call to Morocco?
Y: From two year I don’t phone to my son. Now, you, with your money phone to my son and tell him his father is dead!
M: But I don’t speck french or arabic, and I Cant’ do it, because is not true, you are not dead.
Y: I can’t go in Morocco, dont’ you see me? Look where I live, I’m dirty, I’m poor, I’m unemployed. I cant’ go in Morocco, it’s a shame for me….if my father see me in this condition…it’s a shame. Tell to my son that I’m dead
M: But if I take a picture of you, and you write a letter to your son and I promise you to send the letter and the picture to your son in Morocco? Have you the address?
Y: Yessss, Yesssss!! Send the letter from me, take picture, and on the letter you must write: W Milan, the favorite soccer club of my son . The “Milan” is a great football team, it’s a champion! And after you must write: W the Peace!….Peace for my son……..no, no…..I cant’ …..it’s better if I am a dead man



There are 3 comments

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  1. Massimo

    Anche io abito a Milano e lavoro a poche centinaia di metri dalla Stazione Centrale.
    Splendido lavoro, Manuela.
    Mi piacerebbe stringerti la mano per poterti fare i complimenti.

    Max/S4S
    da Milano


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