Kinoklub spezial – justa causa, guerreiros urbanos

Kinoclub spezial, 8pm CET, March 30, 2011

two short movies about the homeless movement in Rio de Janeiro.

“justa causa”

– if housing is a right, occupying is a plight!
(documentary-rio de janeiro-30min-OmDU-2008)
short documentary from and about the „sem tetos“ (homeless-movement) in the center of Rio de Janeiro. people talk about daily life in the occupations and the struggle against real estate speculation, marginalisation and the „Choque de Ordem“ (Operation shock and order).

“guerreiros urbanos”

– Urban Warrior
(documentary-rio de janeiro-6.36 min -OmDU-2010)
short movie, from our friend vladimir santa fe, about the eviction of the sem teto collective „Guerreiro Urbano“, wich took place the 13.12.2010 in the center of Rio de Janeiro.

After the movies we have some time for discussion, we will also provide informations about the movement and situation in general in Rio de Janeiro.

“sem teto”

Parts of the „sem-teto“ movement  in Rio de Janeiro has carried out squats (called “ocupações” in
brazil) in the central area of the city. “sem-teto” means literally “roofless”. this social movement, highly politicized, is composed by some sort of people, like unemployed, workers of the informal sector of economy (like ambulant sellers), ex-homeless (that have once lived in the streets of the city) or people who can not pay rent for a house. these ocupações in the center of Rio de Janeiro are committed to self-management, based on the principle of solidarity and mutual aid. the dwellers organize themselves through assemblies within an autonomous movement which is not associated with any form of parties or institution.

All decisions that affect or are related to each ocupação are made by their own assemblies, recognized like the only representative forum, called “collective”.

By occupying abandoned buildings the
movement questions the real-estate speculation.
the latter leads to the absurd fact that while
270.000 houses are needed in the municipality of
Rio de Janeiro, 250.000 places stay vacant
without fulfilling any social function. the „Sem-
teto“ movement believe that the urban reform is
something that has to be done by people´s power
(poder popular), knowing that the burgees
capitalist state will not attend the demand of the impoverished workers. the processes of new ocupações like these self- managed ones is usually very well organized.

they normally take several months of meetings with the families, discussing large topics like the urban conjuncture, the role of the state and his violence and the segregation of the poor. on the other hand, the internal self-management of the collective is also debated. Themes like the internal regiment (the norms of the ocupação), the activities that are expected to be developed in the new territory (self-managed economic alternatives, community kitchen, community kindergarten, etc.) and the name of the ocupação.

the sem teto movement in Rio de Janeiro show that a combination of direct action and the satisfaction of basic needs can provide the conditions necessary for the construction of a sustainable grassroots movement.

more infos in portuguese on: http://pelamoradia.wordpress.com/