Europa Passage

Film and discussion – with soup for everyone! Free admission

Europa Passage
Andrei Schwartz⌡ D 2022 ⌡ 90 min. ⌡ Romanian with German subtitles

Over a period of five years, the film follows a group of Romanian Roma* who come to Hamburg on a seasonal basis to beg and, if possible, to work. Part of their earnings go to their relatives at home. These people sleep under bridges and in parks, in constant fear of being discovered and expelled. There is no help from the authorities, and even in winter the emergency shelters remain closed to them. The two main protagonists, Maria and Tirloi, are the only ones who manage to find an apartment and a job through private mediation.

Back in their place of origin, Namaesti, these people live in segregation from the majority population. The only way they can earn a living is by making poorly paid brushwood brooms. Regular jobs were rationalized here after the fall of communism, including in a nearby large German company. There is certainly no work for unskilled workers.

A movie about people who hardly have a chance, but still try to make the best of it. They speak in the film itself, which consistently dispenses with commentary.

Nominated for the Goethe-Institut Documentary Film Award 2022 ⌡Nominated for the German Film Critics‘ Award 2022 ⌡ Award: German Camera Award/Best Camera Documentary Cinema for Susanne Schüle