Paolo Ligresti, how did your connection with the Bambi.ni Insieme Onlus Foundation in Lugano begin, and what inspired you to commit to helping children with selective mutism?
"The “Bambi.ni insieme Onlus” Foundation I founded it in 2010 after the passing of my mother, Giorgina, known as Bambi. Since then, I've wanted to invest part of my time helping children with projects, primarily playgrounds built after disasters like earthquakes or floods.
We created 4 of them, 2 in Abruzzo after the L'Aquila earthquake, specifically in the municipality of Paganica, one in Vicenza after the flood, and the last one in the Marche region, in the municipality of Barbara after the 2023 flood, dedicated to little Mattia who passed away on that occasion.
Selective mutism was foreign to me, but one day I went to a facility in Meride called Ca.Stella, where I met two people who worked with this syndrome, and on that occasion I wanted to learn more about the topic. After a few months, I decided to help these children, spending a weekend with them at this facility and in the meantime filming a documentary, "SOTTOVOCE."
The docufilm Sottovoce It talks about a still little-known disorder: what is selective mutism, and why is it important to make it known to a wider audience?
This anxiety disorder, which unfortunately affects a growing number of children (1 in 110), is still little known by the general public, as well as by many professionals working in the various fields related to childhood and adolescence. As a result, very often, selective-mutism children are misunderstood for their true difficulties and are mistakenly considered "very shy" or "rude" or "grumpy." This is why, in order to identify it, it is increasingly necessary for everyone to have a thorough understanding of selective mutism and the appropriate intervention methods to support selective-mutism children and their families in overcoming this condition.
Selective mutism is the brain's response to a strong state of anxiety perceived as a grave threat to the individual. When the alarm goes off, three possible reactions are possible: aggression, flight, and freezing. These responses are automatic and in no way dependent on the individual's will. In selective mutism, speech is frozen. The child suddenly finds himself unable to speak and often even to act. It's a state of blockage.
How does selective mutism manifest itself in children's daily lives, particularly at school and in social settings?
As previously mentioned, selective mutism prevents children from speaking spontaneously in certain social contexts, despite normal language development and comprehension. In these situations, children experience intense anxiety that takes over, causing a virtual "freezing" of their verbal skills and body language. Selective mutism is therefore a response to a strong emotional state that the child is unable to manage: therefore, despite their desire, selective mutism children are unable to speak outside the home or in the presence of strangers.
On the contrary, at home, in familiar environments and with people they feel comfortable with, they express themselves normally and are able to spontaneously reveal all their great potential. The degree of frozen state depends on the level of anxiety that generated it. It ranges from an absence of speech to a complete freezing of the entire person. The selectively mute child is not only unable to answer questions, he is unable to ask them, he is unable to satisfy his basic needs; sometimes the child is no longer able to drink or eat: everything that comes and goes from the mouth is blocked. When he finds himself alone in a group, that is, without his reference points, he has no way of communicating with the world. He is lost, isolated, he perceives the environment as threatening and his anxiety increases.
How the idea for the project was born SOTTOVOCE and what was your participation in the making?
«The idea was born during a lunch at the Ca.stella facility, when I met two people who dealt with selective mutism, through the facility ATiMuSe. my role was to study the project with them and finance it as the Bambi.ni Insieme Onlus Foundation."
What role did the Lugano-based ATiMuSe association play in the project, and what added value did it bring to the documentary?
This project was strongly supported by members of the ATiMuSe association, who wanted to address the issue of selective mutism from the perspective of those directly affected: children and their families. This intent was immediately shared by director Federico Cavallini, the families who volunteered, and everyone who contributed to the project.
For several years, the Ticino association for selective mutism had a dream: to produce a documentary presenting selective mutism, to educate as many people as possible on the topic and raise awareness of ATiMuSe and its activities. The teamwork that developed between the man, the funder, the director, the staff, and, last but not least, the families, made it possible.
How important was it to give voice to families and children in describing this disorder through the documentary?
«From my point of view it was fundamental because hearing families talk to their children about this problem and facing it together helped us overcome it, with the belief that being able to talk about it can certainly help other children,
"Giving a voice" to the selectively mute children involved and their families, through a documentary film that was as authentic as possible, was the primary goal of the project. Through their spontaneous testimonies, the children and their parents shared a bit of their experience, speaking of disorientation, difficulties, fears, achievements, hopes, courage, confidence, and strength. Although united by selective mutism, each of these children has their own story and personality. For the families and children, it was an added value to their journey: by sharing their stories, they gained awareness of themselves and the struggles of daily life, of the satisfaction of what they have achieved and of what still awaits them.
What main messages do you hope will reach the public, teachers, and professionals thanks to “Sottovoce”?
"Raising awareness of the problem is important because many people aren't aware of it and therefore don't address it. However, with this documentary, both teachers and the public realize that it's not a matter of shyness or anything else, but a smaller, more significant problem that can be addressed with awareness. As with any problem, finding a solution to selective mutism requires a thorough understanding of the underlying disorder. Through a shared project and process that actively engages the child with selective mutism, their family, the school, and all relevant professionals, selective mutism can be overcome. Certainly, selective mutism impacts and hinders the affected child, their family, and the people around them, but at the same time, like any "peculiarity," it can also be an opportunity for human growth for everyone involved. Selective mutism, though characterized by silence, requires authentic and profound listening."
Looking to the future, what initiatives do you still intend to support to concretely help children affected by selective mutism and their families?
«The first thing is to try to spread the documentary film Sottovoce as much as possible and then make the ATiMuSe structure available to address any cases of selective mutism with them. I feel like saying that the various testimonies, especially those of the children, give a message of hope: selective mutism can be overcome! I hope the public gets the message that it is a temporary problem but not to be underestimated. Another message that comes through is that it can be overcome by promoting collaboration between the family, the school, and the therapists. Everyone must get involved!
