Être et Durer is about relationships between mothers and adolescent sons. The pretext of the challenge – i.e. the ‘environment’ of the film – is the discipline of ‘Parkour’– an extreme sport which forces adults to tolerate injuries, endure anxiety, to bear burden of death – and the necessity of overcoming one’s own fears; the same fears, limits and obstacles that teenagers face in their process of growth. An Italian mother enquires on how women from other cultures deal with education and the need of let go; on how can adults impose limits without constraining and finally how to learn accepting destiny and give in to the ‘law of evolution’.

The film will investigate different women’s approach to extreme sports performed by their sons or husbands. Can an extreme sport be a path to build awareness or is just a matter of exhibitionism or irresponsibility? Parkour – a urban discipline of French origin – is here explored as a metaphor of mother and son relationship, where adults struggle with the will of opening up their hands to let go. Why a mother should let her son free to jump out of a rooftop to confront his limits and overcome fears, while facing fears herself? Danger is seen through the eyes of who’s standing aside watching in silence to be tore apart between awareness of consequences and a nostalgia for the youngster’s urge of passion..

Are mothers always prepared to face the consequences of injuries or legal actions?

It will also give an insight of traceur crews and the word of extreme sports and their leaders.

It introduces us to complete freedom from restraining obstacles, and it is this freedom amidst the routine and regimentation of much of modern society that makes this discipline appealing worldwide. It is a method that’s available to us at any time to deal with the obstructions facing us, both mental and physical. No obstacle, no barrier, no restraint can stop the traceurs; they continue moving forward in spite of, and in harmony. That boundless imagination and energy combined with a complete disregard for social precedents and expectations epitomizes the traceurs and they will jump in harmony with them.

Related:

The Story
The Director
Distribution

CREDITS

	Written & Directed by: Maria Serena Mignani
	Camera & Photography: Nicola Piovesan – Mario Chemello
	2nd Camera: Fabio Aquila – Rocco Lobosco
	Editing: Nicola Piovesan – Lorenzo Castiello
	Sound: Fabio Aquila
	Colorist: Salvo Lucchese
	Sound Mix: Diego Schiavo
	Mastering: Marco Murat
	Production: Imago Orbis
	Production Assistant: Chiara Borghesi