In 2026, the POLIS Theatre Festival reaches its 9th edition as one of the few Italian theatre festivals to explore fundamental issues such as the defence of civil rights, migration, war, climate change and the role of art in society, doing so with a Nordic Focus at its heart.
“I am Swiss. A Switzerland made up of hidden places: bunkers, vaults, tunnels, secrets…
Some say Switzerland is a fiction. Others say it is a contradiction.
My mum sometimes speaks, other times she is silent.
My brother sings nonsense words.
My dad says Switzerland doesn’t exist.
So: do I exist?”
Camilla Parini’s work takes shape from these questions, creating an intimate encounter designed for two audience members at a time. Through memories, images and personal stories, the artist explores the meaning of family, identity and belonging.
The performance invites reflection: are we what we remember? How much does the place we come from matter? And how important are the stories we tell ourselves?
Blending reality and imagination, Camilla reworks photographs and memories, even donning a polar bear costume. The result is a delicate and ironic narrative, playing between what has been and what might be, between words spoken and unspoken, between memories preserved and forgotten.
“One day my grandmother told me: remember to look for the bear. Then life went on, and I forgot many things.”
Credits
Written and performed by Camilla Parini
Artistic collaborators: Francesca Sproccati, Simon Waldvogel
Featuring Elena Boillat, Anahì Traversi
Dramaturgical support: Jessica Huber
Photos and video: Amos Pellegrinelli, Camilla Parini, Francesca Sproccati
Graphic design and printing: Complice Press (Lugano)
Technical support: Alessandro Macchi
Production: Collettivo Treppenwitz
Co-production: far° Nyon, Südpol Luzern (Extra Time Plus programme)
In collaboration with: LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, Cima Città, FIT International Festival of Contemporary Theatre and Performance
With the support of: Pro Helvetia, the Republic and Canton of Ticino – Swisslos Fund, various foundations and local authorities
Duration: 30 minutes
For: 2 spectators at a time