Don’t Close that Door is an investigative documentary focused on Porta Portese, the historic Roman flea market, and its fate in the digital transition era.
The film tells the story of this symbolic place in the Trastevere district, where the lives of hundreds of street vendors intersect, offering visitors a variety of used, antique, and curious items every Sunday. Through the testimonies of key figures, the documentary explores the challenges and opportunities the market faces in a context of technological and social change.
How are the merchants adapting to digital payment systems, the competition from e-commerce, and increasingly stringent regulations? What does Porta Portese represent for Roman culture and identity, and what values are at risk of being lost if this space of interaction and exchange were to disappear?
The documentary provides a critical and passionate look at a popular reality that resists the pressures of the market and bureaucracy, yet seeks to innovate and renew itself at the same time. Between nostalgia and hope, tradition and modernity, «Don’t Close that Door» invites reflection on the meaning and future of Porta Portese and flea markets in general.