Beyond a current state

While nation-states are a widespread, seemingly natural level of identification for many nowadays, there are people whose cultural identities are not congruent with the borders of a country. In dialogue with Sorbian women living in Germany, this musically carried documentary short asks questions about their lived Sorbian identities and imaginations beyond a current (nation) state.

  • Helena Daniel
    Director
  • Hella Stoletzki
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes 24 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 31, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    0 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    German
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Sommerfilmakademie Görlitz
Director Biography - Helena Daniel

Helena studied Social and Cultural Anthropology in Freiburg. She is currently working for a project that organizes education against discrimination with youth. She is fascinated by film as a medium to portray lifeworlds, trigger empathy and understanding for the so far unknown, and reach a broader audience, especially compared to academic texts. Following her curiosity, she participated in Sommerfilmakademie in Görlitz 2024 to work on her first short film.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Leaving off from a standpoint that questions the concept of nation-states for that its population is often imagined to be static and homogenous, I sought to ponder about this with people, whose cultural identities are less bound to national borders. With the Sommerfilmakademie being located in Lusatia, Sorbian people and identities caught my interest.
This film was an exciting first time experiment to go after this curiosity with a camera.
It was full of uncertainty, unforseen changes and rewarding encounters. I worked as collaboratively as possible within the limited time available and the desires of the people involved, having postcolonial ethical ideals at the top of my mind.
This film could turn into what it is only thanks to: Hella Stoletzki, who shared her time, art, and ideas so generoulsy. Hara Crash, who appear not in image but in their wonderful music, and Hannah, Emma, and Anna-Lena who were incredibly open to be approached and interviewed by me while having a (sun) bath at a querry. And of course, my patient and technically skilled film team: Steffen and Nicholas.