In Western Macedonia many villages have been erased from the map. Continuous plains, rivers, breeders are now replaced by displacement, health issues and deserted villages. A former paradise which is now described by the visitors as "like looking into hell". In "we are the canaries" the viewers will explore the coal region by taking a virtual walk in the villages and converse with people. They'll have the ability to meet the people who lived in non-touristic places, full of cultural heritage, where the past and the present coexist, through the truth told by the protagonists. They'll meet refugee communities of the 1919-1923 period, who were forced to relocate again 100 years later and explore their daily life and memories. Coal miners used to take canaries into mines to detect poisonous gases. The birds would die before the miners, thus providing an early warning to exit the tunnels immediately. Today environment, villages and memories have been sacrificed in the name of coal.
Participant: Marianna Plomariti