The Invincible Summer. A short documentary at the Onassis YouTube Channel

What keeps our cities from collapsing? How does a forsaken piece of shared public space become a springboard for change? Why some people care more than others? How far would you go to make a change? These are some of the questions that came to me when I first heard the story of Will and Ruby, the two young English co-founders of the skateboarding NGO Free Movement Skateboarding. From Palestine and SkatePal to Greek squats and social kitchens, Will and Ruby always searched for ways to contribute to societies that sought both a helping hand and a collective way of thinking. That alone was enough to make me follow them and document the impact they had on my own society. Through the skateboarding lessons they offer with their mobile skatepark all over Athens, Free Movement Skateboarding contributes to the socialization of young refugees and Athenians.

“The Invincible Summer” documentary follows the British co-founder of Free Movement Skateboarding, Will Ascott, as well as two young Athenian instructors, Denia and Yannis, and portrays their unwavering dedication to the children they work with. The film, which calls on the Algerian-French philosopher Albert Camus’ quote for its title, reminds us how even in the ‘deepest winters’ there is still an enduring light that guides us through struggle.