The Movie
The documentary "1514 Le nuvole non si fermano" (1514 Clouds do not stop) tells the story of a population, the Sahrawi, who have been fighting for independence for thirty years. The Sahrawi people are historically nomadic and traditionally resident in the Western Sahara areas. The Spanish invaded the territories of Western Sahara in the second half of the nineteenth century, and simply left in 1975. It was then that the Sahrawi suffered a second invasion, from Morocco, which claimed those lands as its own. War broke out and it generated the exodus of a large part of the population, who found refuge in the desert areas of Algeria, where they still live today.
About 200,000 Sahrawi refugees live in the Algerian desert depending completely on humanitarian aids, with poor availability of water and no electricity supply. Since 1991 they have been waiting for the completion of a referendum about self-determination sought by the UN since the 60s, but still hampered by Morocco, which has no intention of granting independence. To date, the territory of Western Sahara remains the only area still to be decolonized in Africa. 
What drove us to make a film documentary about the Sahrawi people has been, first, the lack of media coverage on the issue, mostly due to the absence of an obvious conflict as well as spectacular. Unfortunately, the situation in Western Sahara is considered an unsolvable issue by public opinion and the Sahrawi cause is seen as a lost cause. This ability to adapt to the 'non-resolution' of Western Sahara situation is not shared by another part of public opinion and the Sahrawi themselves, who continue to act so that this stalemate will find a way out. Moreover, we have embraced the latter view deciding to produce and shoot a film about these people, and we believe firmly that a way out of the generated impasse in Western Sahara would be possible.
1514 Le nuvole non si fermano (1514 Clouds do not stop) has this goal: to draw public attention to the Sahrawi case, to sensitize the community and not to forget an ignored population, victim of commonplace and gangrenous conflicts taking place globally.
The documentary title consists of two elements closely interrelated with each other. "1514" refers to UN Resolution n.1514 (XV) of 14/12/1960, on granting independence to populations and countries subject to colonial rule. This resolution is still present, considering the numerous ethnic conflicts globally. Clouds do not stop is a direct reference to the Sahrawi identity, also known as "Sons of the clouds," just because, as nomads, they have always followed the clouds, a true guide in search of water. Clouds do not stop is also a metaphor for the irresistible and unstoppable movement that encourages those who struggle to gain and regain their freedom.
Another reason that led us to make a film about Sahrawis is the preservation of cultural identities. We chose the documentary format in an attempt to crystallize over time, a story that is likely to be lost and to provide a report on an ethnic group that is fighting to preserve its cultural integrity. The basis of this criterion is the vision according to which, ethnic and cultural minorities are seen as something positive, because of their extraordinary diversity, to be preserved, in any society and culture.
1514 Le nuvole non si fermano (1514 Clouds do not stop) was born by the joint of three different realities, believing the same way in creation of the impossible: VisualLab production studio, associations El-Ouali and Visioni Trasversali.
