On the fear of not belonging: In the near future a safe existence will only be possible in an idyllic high-rise complex located in the middle of the forest. Those who want to live there have to obey strict rules. When a dog goes missing, security officer Anna of all people is suspected of having gotten rid of the animal. Distrust breeds fear and fear breeds blind hatred in this intricate, original etude on the totalitarian traits that result from a mélange of utopia and an obsession with security, and how these can result in marginalisation.
“Born in a high-rise settlement on the outskirts of Saint Petersburg, I migrated together with my family to Germany in 1996 as a Russian-Jewish “contingent refugee”. My parents wanted their children to grow up in a safe country, free from a corrupt government, mafia structures, anti-Semitism and thus, above all, free from fear. As soon as I set foot on German soil at the age of seven, I wanted to belong... It didn't help that we moved into to a high-rise estate referred to as a 'ghetto' despite the nearby park and beautiful lake. Although we henceforth found ourselves living in a country that was supposed to provide us with safety, security and a new home, my fear grew. The fear of not belonging, of being excluded and threatened. The very same fear that my parents had fled from.” (Director Natalia Sinelnikova on her film)
17.6. 21.00 Delphi Lux, followed by a discussion with Pola Geiger, Knut Berger, Fritzi Uhrig (child) and Şiir Eloglu, Schauspieler
18.6. 21.30 Delphi Lux, followed by a discussion with Pola Geiger and Karl Schirnhofer , Darstellerin and Casting Director
Credits
original title Wir könnten genauso gut tot sein
international title We Might As Well Be Dead
german title Wir könnten genauso gut tot sein
JFBB section Feature Film Competition
director Natalia Sinelnikova
country/countries DE
year 2022
duration 93
Natalia Sinelnikova
BIO Born in 1989 in St. Petersburg. At the age of seven she immigrated with her family to Germany. In 2013, she completed her bachelor's degree in cultural studies with a focus on photography and theater at the University of Hildesheim and began her studies in film directing at the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF. Her bachelor's degree film "Trauerweiden", produced in cooperation with Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk, celebrated its world premiere at the Jewish Film Festival in Moscow and screened at other international film festivals. In 2016 she was a member of the debut film jury of the Festival of Eastern European Film in Cottbus and in 2021 she was selected for the ZFF Academy of the Zurich Film Festival. Natalia is part of the Jewish artists* network "Dagesh". "Wir Könnten Genauso Gut Tot Sein" is her first feature film.
