Symphony Of A Small Town
A young Iranian is being instructed to wash and cut hair in a hairdressing salon. A woman from Afghanistan learns to operate the sewing machines in a dressmaker's workshop, showing skill. A young woman from Eritrea gets an introduction into payroll accounting in a city office.
Having in mind Walter Ruttmann's silent classic "Symphony of A Big City" from 1927 Faroqhi & Peretz create a short documentary narration of integration and solidarity in modern time Germany.
The images show work processes in various small businesses and training centers in the periphery around the big city of Berlin, a region that suffers from poverty and a lack of skilled apprentices.
The filmmakers have initiated visits by residents of a refugee hostel at local businesses and training centers. The young people make experiences with professions and crafts in a country still new to them. Their hosts have shed away prejudices and fears of "the other".
Thus, the film shows a utopia of community in today's Germany.
Using title boards, the film takes up the language of silent film and reflects the meaning of work as a means for the individual to determine and shape their relationship to the world.
Locations:
Scharmützelsee municipal office, Bad Saarow; a-ja Hotel, Bad Saarow resort; Biohof Busch (eco-farm), Storkow; volunteer fire department, Bad Saarow; Hotel Villa Contessa, Bad Saarow; Oware-Design Tailoring, Wildau; Bodo Hackbarth Upholstery, Storkow; Scharmützelsee Boat Company, Bad Saarow; Technical Control Board North training center; Wehner Hair & Beauty, Storkow.
The film is the result of a film workshop commissioned by the Festival FILM WITHOUT BORDERS Bad Saarow which took place in June 2019 in Bad Saarow, Fürstenwalde and Storkow (Brandenburg).
https://www.filmohnegrenzen.de/en/jugendprogramm/
Original title Sinfonie der Kleinstadt Cast Alidad Jafari, Zarmina Nasimi, Natsnet Girmay Sound Maral Erfanian Music Laura Mello, Eunice Martins Idea, Director Anna Faroqhi, Haim Peretz Cinematographer Haim Peretz Editor Anna Faroqhi Production Faroqhi Peretz Filmproduktion, Berlin Year of Production 2019 Format digital file, 1:1,66 Length 20 min.