Mayter Matos

Santiago Torresagasti was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1991. He studied at the Luchino Visconti Civic School of Cinema and Television in Milan. After receiving his diploma in Film Directing, he began his professional career in Bolzano making documentaries and video installations. Santiago decided to take part in the project "An imprint of the world in South Tyrol" because for him, each project represents an opportunity to learn more about ways of communicating via audiovisual media. In this project, he sees the possibility to investigate an interesting aspect of the world of work – a concept well expressed by Primo Levi in his novel The Monkey's Wrench: "If we exclude prodigious and individual moments that destiny can bestow on us, loving one's work (which unfortunately is the privilege of few) is the best concrete approximation to happiness on earth: but this is a truth that not many know."

Santiago Torresagasti’s project consists of ten short films that can be considered as a glimpse into ten windows opened on a single day in the life of different individuals. The videos are composed of three different types of images: the observation of a working day, the voice and narration, the personal archive. The observation of a working day: observing a person as they go about their daily tasks allows us to see beyond the scenes of a little known space. We all have a partial idea of what another person's profession emcompasses and a glimpse into one day alone can give us an idea of the present in a person's life: if they are happy, frustrated, in a state of transition, fulfilled, failing. This is also to give an inside point of view into an unfamiliar working world that has its own rules, spaces and dynamics. The voice and narration: the ten protagonists of this project recounted their stories during interviews, with the aim of bringing out each individual's thoughts on the world of work and their backgrounds. The personal archive: the photos and videos that portrayed a person in their past is historical documentation; a reflection of another time that can bring out an in-between space, a contrast with the material filmed (in the present) in which a question or insight arises about the person being described. These three elements are combined differently within each video, making each of the ten stories unique and distinct, each with its own balance, transforming each short film into a personal portrait.