Progress in the Valley of the People Who Don't Know
(Fortschritt im Tal der Ahnungslosen)
The former employees of an East German factory embark on a cultural exchange with Syrian migrants, who have recently used the same building in a different context: as a temporary asylum.
Under socialism, the remote tip of Saxony, where Western television signals did not reach, earned the nickname "Valley of the people who don’t know". In recent years, a number of Syrian refugees have ended up in this area. Initial sanctuaries have often been established in decommissioned factories, such as the former Fortschritt ("Progress"), which once employed over 20,000 people. Director Florian Kunert invited some former employees to meet with a group of young Syrians who had lived for a while in an abandoned and dilapidated building, in order to help them with the integration course. The peculiar genius loci on both sides resounds with collective memories, presented by narration, play, footage from old films or an imaginative revival of the period atmosphere. Thus, in a region with a complicated relationship with refugees and its own past, a unique fusion of both worlds occurs.
Czech premiere
About the film
Director: Florian Kunert
Germany
2019 | 64 min.
Language: Arabic, German
Subtitles: English
Category
Director
Florian Kunert
Filmography
2019 - Progress in the valley of the people who don't know
2017 - Oh Brother Octopus
Screenings
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