Power in Our Hands

The Tetterode building, a former type foundry in Amsterdam’s city centre, was squatted forty years ago. An unconventional community of almost 250 artists and other creatives still lives and works there. Although this haven remained independent of the housing market for years, the world around them has changed beyond recognition. A place to live and work is unaffordable for many people today. In Power in Our Hands, Onur Can Tepe paints a melancholic and contemplative portrait of an unusual community. The residents are growing old, and spaces are rarely vacated. New energy is needed, but where can the old guard go? The film is an appeal for diversity in housing and creative studios in the city centre. To what extent can we cling to a rich history while making room for the future?