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Film screening of two short films related to questions of migration and identity, followed by discussion with film-maker Daniela Swarowsky.

The first two films in the Messages from Paradise trilogy will be shown:

  • Messages from Paradise 1, Egypt : Austria
  • Messages from Paradise 2, Morocco : Netherlands

About the films

Central to the films is the eternal longing for elsewhere. To broaden your horizon, to envision your future, see the world and earn a good living: to go where the grass is greener on the other side of the hill is a universal human desire. The rich West is the greener grass, a paradise that a young and frustrated generation in poor countries dreams of. As they see no future at home and there is no work, they feel increasingly frustrated. But those who successfully manage to cross to the other side of the hill, are often confronted with a harsh reality. An interesting phenomenon can then be observed: the longer you are away from the country you came from, the more the image of your home country changes from ‘hopeless and without possibilities’ to a 'lost paradise'.

The Messages from Paradise trilogy is both a poetic reflection and a domain of research concerning the universal myths and experiences relating to migration. The project confronts these myths and poses questions with a critical eye.