Synopsis

The documentary PIONEERS OF DAWN tells the individual life stories of five citizens of Auroville. All are idealists, some of whom have recently arrived, some a long time ago, to participate in an experiment that searches for the perfect model for society

Everything that we experience together with the protagonists is very intense. The Characters are full of energy, the place could not be more extreme in its diversity, and the list of questions to be answered seems endless: How can we live and love in harmony? What is the purpose of mankind in the development of the world, in living together and in the economy? How many rules does one need to live together in freedom, and what is the right balance between community and individuality? Is there another alternative to the societies as we know them today? Whilst searching for answers to these “important” questions, our protagonists are often already stalling when presented with the many little obstacles in life: be it the ecological design of sanitary installations, different work ethics, or the simple language barriers.

The stories are told parallel, the different ways of life humorously contrasting. The individual storylines often cross and start to interweave, creating a multi-facetted picture of both, the city of Auroville and its citizens.

Is it possible to put Auroville's ideal of unity in diversity completely into reality?

The documentary PIONEERS OF DAWN is about high ideals and frustrating reality, painful failures and brave come-backs, about the society of today and the possibilities for a new society of tomorrow – and about the miraculous power of an utopian belief.