Visiting Johanna

In the short film „Visiting Johanna“, I wanted to shed light on the relationship between my sister and me. When I moved to Vienna a few years ago and she stayed in Carinthia, our lives developed in different directions. Nevertheless, the mutual support always remained.
For me, the short film „Visiting Johanna“ is thematically about identity, acceptance and family dynamics in the context of change between two siblings. The older sister travels to Vienna to surprise her younger sister - not only as an artist, but also as a person who has changed. The distance between them results not only from different paths in life, but possibly also from a certain insecurity or unspoken issues.
The younger sister uses her art to express herself - but the performance remains incomprehensible to many. I wanted to symbolize how difficult it is for her to find recognition in a world she doesn't always understand. The older sister may be unfamiliar with the artistic and queer world of Vienna. However, the film is also intended to be accompanied by comedy - through the contrasts between the sisters and the chaotic circumstances surrounding them.
The incomprehensible performance, the technical confusion of the musicians and the insidiously empty vernissage are intended to create humorous moments. The action oscillates between ambitious art and involuntary failure.
Despite her initial distance, the older sister shows unconditional support at the end. Even if she doesn't fully understand the performance, all that matters to her is that her sister needs her. Her encouraging “Just stick to it” can also be read as encouragement for her identity and her artistic path.
In the film, I used music and dance as a connecting element at the end. While performative art can be misunderstood by many, music is universal. For me, the
fact that the sisters dance to the music at the end symbolizes their rapprochement: words may not always be necessary, but the encouragement is evident in the shared experience and letting go.
“Visiting Johanna” is not only a story about creative insecurities and sibling love, but also about identity and acceptance. In the short film, I tried to take a sensitive look at the topic of transition, among other things, without problematizing it - instead, I wanted to focus on the sisters' relationship and their rapprochement.