DTwo evenings a week they meet on the Naviglio Grande in Milan, get on a 20-seater Dragon Boat and, with the support of the Società Canottieri San Cristoforo, start paddling. It’s not just training: it’s a collective ritual, a way to find yourself, breathe together and put your life back at the center, even when the oncological disease tries to overwhelm you. The beautiful story of cancer and rebirth of the women of the Milanese association C6 Siloku today it has also become a short film, presented at Sguardi Altrove – 33 Women’s International Film Festival (from 11 to 28 March 2026 in Milan and Pavia).
Tumor and rebirth: on the Naviglio Grande, the women of C6 Siloku rewrite their history
The documentary “On the same boat”, produced by IULMovieLAB and directed by Ginevra Solaroli, is dedicated to the memory of Corinna and Aya, two women of the association who are no longer with us today, but who continue to live on in the stories and gestures of the group. The camera follows the stories of Tatiana, Franca, Barbara and Annunziata: it accompanies them on board the Dragon Boat – identity symbol of C6 Siloku – but also in the most intimate moments of everyday life, between reflections on illness, fragility and small moments of light.
The result is a very touching emotional journey that talks about cancer and rebirth, between unpredictable currents and clear skies, tears and smiles. It is a story that passes through fear, but is always driven by a stubborn wind of courage, hope and sharing.
The story is guided by the voice of Elena Canavese, president of C6 Siloku and psycho-oncology counselor. «We don’t know when we are born, we don’t know when we will die. But we know that, in between, there is life”, he says. «This is where I start to do my job: accompanying people who get sick, who suffer. And sometimes they die. My older self reminds me that it’s natural, that it’s part of the course of life.”
And it is precisely in that “middle” – made of water, paddles and hands that row in unison – that these women continue to choose life, every day.
The women of the C6 Siloku association, ready to paddle
Rediscover the beauty of life, in illness
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