Little Universe

For Amena Karimyan, not even the sky is the limit. In Afghanistan, she founded the astronomy club "Kayhana" – Persian for "Little Universe". As a self-taught astronomer, she introduced young girls to the wonders of the universe using a handmade model of the solar system. She hoped that astronomy would broaden their horizons and inspire them to reach for the stars in a male-dominated society. When the radical Islamic Taliban seized power, her work as an astronomer and activist put her life at risk. Now, in exile in Germany, she is struggling to rebuild her own life in a country that seems full of opportunities. Since childhood, the twenty-something has dreamed of flying to the moon – a dream that for the first time in her life seems within her grasp and yet has never been so distant. Caught between the burden of her past, the German bureaucratic system, and her own ambitions, Amena embarks on a mission to ultimately find her place on Earth. Through atmospheric imagery from this and other worlds, "Little Universe" offers a multi-layered portrait of a trailblazing young woman, reminding us that the boundaries of our personal universes are movable.

  • Nele Dehnenkamp
    Director
  • Nele Dehnenkamp
    Writer
  • Nick Pastucha
    Producer
  • Philipp Dufft
    Producer
  • Christian Drewing
    Producer
  • Amena Karimyan
    Key Cast
    "herself"
  • Jonas Römmig
    DoP
  • Sirius Kestel
    sound and sound design
  • Thomas Rother
    sound and sound design
  • Jana Irmert
    Music
  • Torsten Striegnitz
    Editor
  • Nele Dehnenkamp
    Editor
  • Nerges Azizi
    Translation
  • Thomas Funk
    additional sound
  • Nele Dehnenkamp
    additional camera
  • Anja Haas
    title design
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Kleines Universum
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    gender, coming of age, war/conflict, social issues, Underrepresented Communities
  • Runtime:
    30 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    July 31, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    Persian
  • Shooting Format:
    digital 4k
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Magnetfilm
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Nele Dehnenkamp

Nele Dehnenkamp is a German director specializing in non-fiction films and radio documentaries. She studied social sciences in Berlin and New York City and holds a diploma in documentary directing from the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. Her observational works often delve into the complex experiences of dreams and trauma, frequently from a female perspective. Her films have been showcased at internationally acclaimed festivals and have received numerous awards, including the Grimme Prize and the IDA David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award. Her latest short documentary "Seahorse" qualified for the Academy Awards. Her debut feature "For the Time Being" won the Gedanken-Aufschluss Award at DOK Leipzig and had a theatrical release in Germany.

2023 For the Time Being (feature documentary '90) – DOK Leipzig 2023
2020 Seahorse (short documentary '16) – DOK Leipzig 2020
2018 We Will Survive (short documentary '29)

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