SILENCE HEARD LOUD

A spacious university hall. We see seven individuals sitting in a circle and reading excerpts from essays on various global issues. This is the only time we see them together. From the sun-drenched hall, we move to different parts of the city which provide background for their stories. From now on, we follow them separately, without any imposed order. They say where they come from and what they have been trying to escape from. They disclose tragic facts from their lives. The camera shows them from a distance, zooms in on their eyes, exposes emotions or focuses on the body language. Bit by bit, we eventually piece together seven dramatic stories of Angela, Janahan, Merwa, Michael, Mohamed, Nirmala and Selamawit.

They have fled from war, terrorism, ethnic hatred, persecution or domestic violence. They have escaped death. It seems that they have achieved their goals and may now start a new life in Europe. But is this really the end of their problems and beginning of a new, better life?

One of the protagonists, Michael, concludes that he will never have offspring – it would be cruel to bring children to this toxic world. He also stresses that his fate depends on other people, regardless of his own plans and ambitions. The others list their own problems: alienation, racism, loneliness, endless asylum procedures with no permission to work in the meantime, uncertainty about the future, and longing for family and home. So they are faced with self-doubt and begin to question the meaning of life.

No one can tell what the future holds for them.