DACH Competition 3
A common language fosters a sense of belonging. But pain can also render a person completely speechless. When that’s the case, how is one supposed to go on? Language skills are essential for starting over in a foreign country — but how is one supposed to acquire them?
My Name Akim – Director: Aleksandr Kim · Germany · 30 min · German (OmeU)
Akim is a trans man and a political refugee at a receiving facility for asylum-seekers in Germany. His goal is to learn German and go to college. As several bureaucratic avenues fail, he feels increasingly lonely and misunderstood. These feelings soon turn into anger and despair.
Breathe One Time Out of Three – Director: Charlyne Genoud · Switzerland · 17 min · French (OmeU)
Because her mother suffers from the family curse of osteoporosis, Charlyne, the director of this film, joins a gym to avoid this fate. There, she happens upon three older women who are living life to the fullest. Their optimistic yet realistic outlook makes quite an impression on her.
Move Like a Girl – Director: Leah Meinhof · Germany · 17 min · German (OmeU)
Fatou’s mother arrives from Senegal to witness the ritual intended to confer womanhood on Fatou’s seven-year-old daughter. Fatou, who herself was a victim of female genital mutilation, wants to shield her daughter from this. But that would mean breaking with her mother and her culture.
Mother of a Son – Director: Kevin Koch · Germany · 20 min · German (OmeU)
A year ago, Martha’s son was killed while he was carrying out a school shooting. Now she visits his grave for the first time. How much love can a mother have in the face of the unthinkable? Burdened by this legacy, she struggles with her unconditional love.
Flying from War – Director: Ciara Borgards · Germany, USA · 6 min · English (OF)
Aboard a crowded train, Elio finds escape in his daydream, where he’s an astronaut exploring the cosmos alongside his beloved mother. Time and again, however, the boundaries between his fantasy and the harsh reality of the war raging around him blur.