Inclusive urban futures

A new documentary written and directed by a Newcastle University academic is a call to imagine cities differently.  

A Place in the City, by Dr Gabriel Silvestre, from Newcastle University's School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, features communities in Latin America facing displacement, segregation, and gender inequality. The film captures how ordinary people are reshaping their neighbourhoods—fighting not just for rights, but for the power to design more inclusive urban futures. 

Through powerful stories from Santiago de Chile, Rosario (Argentina), and Belo Horizonte (Brazil), the film weaves together compelling commentary with archival and original footage. It is both a tribute to collective action and a call to imagine cities differently. 

Grassroots solutions

Dr Silvestre, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, was inspired by the enduring ideas of French philosopher Henri Lefebvre about reclaiming urban space.  

He said: “When Lefebvre published Le Droit à la Ville (The Right to the City) in 1968, few could have predicted its lasting global influence. His radical call to reclaim urban space has reshaped how we think about cities, inspiring generations of students, activists, and practitioners across continents. 

“Now, A Place in the City highlights how new social movements are reclaiming the right to the city- mobilising communities, shaping solutions, and taking the lead in managing their own neighbourhoods.” 

A Place in the City was developed as part of the EU-funded Contested Territories research project (grant No. 87308), with additional support from Newcastle University. It is co-produced with Fundación Ciudades sin Miedo, based in Argentina. 

“The film was created in partnership with civil society groups to spotlight grassroots solutions and foster collaboration for more inclusive cities in addition to a digital platform and a series of short films.” 

The documentary will be shown in each of the cities it features, premiering in Rosario, Argentina on 8 August, followed by Buenos Aires (12/08), Santiago de Chile (14/08), Belo Horizonte (19/08), São Paulo (21/08) and Newcastle (15/10).