free Generation Reporters

Murder is exciting, murder fascinates, murder thrills. In Martin Scorsese's mafia films we wait spellbound for the next brutal crime, in Quentin Tarantino´s films we laugh heartily at bloody orgies of violence. In a macabre way, we can't get enough of murder.
 But we are so afraid of death. Or is our unrestrained voyerism based on a defense mechanism that can be explained psychologically? Rwanda 1994. Over 800,000 people are murdered within six weeks. Huge mass graves, memorials made of skulls. The images are cruel. I can turn them off, the Rwandan people will never be able to. The terrorist attacks in Hanau, Hesse, on Wednesday killed nine people. "Nine, that's not 800,000," some might think. But it's not about the numbers, it's about the motive.
 The motive was hate, hate for the supposed stranger.
 Hatred is stirred up and has many causes. Again and again this terrible potential of humans is used as a means to achieve political goals.
 But n...

The genocide in Rwanda in spring 1994 is one of the most serious crimes in human history. Within only six weeks, almost one million people were murdered, no, slaughtered. The genocide was the culmination of a hundred years of conflict between the Hutu and Tutsi. Put simply, the Tutsi aristocracy traditionally ruled and let the Hutu work for them. But it was only later that the two large population strata of Rwanda were classified as ethnically different population groups.
In 1897, Rwanda was colonized, and by Germany of all countries. From 1916 to 1962 Belgium took control. Rwanda then became independent, well, more or less independent. Because the influence of the former colonial masters continued in a devastating way. In summary, the genocide of the Tutsis and moderate Hutu was mainly due to the preference of the already privileged Tutsis by the European colonial rulers. But other African countries, interest groups and former colonial powers were also involved in the genocide. ...

Devoured by the raging floods. The tsunami took everything from Haru. 
A blurred photo is all she has left of her family who have disappeared forever. Haru has no support, no one gives her security or even constant love. In silence, she wanders aimlessly. Once she screams all her suffering out into the world, it feels incredibly raw and real. Haru is played by Serena Motola, who gives her role a melancholic beauty and depth. When Haru speaks, one listens to her words, however ordinary they may seem at first. Haru is still a child, she thinks like a child, cries like a child and yet suffers like any other human being. Sadness and pain fill her soul. But her mind is not as closed as her introverted appearance might suggest. Without shyness, but also without a real alternative, she meets different people on her journey through the country, who all give her something to take with her on her journey. She is given affection and warmth. These encounters may be constructed and unreali...

Freitag, 08.02.2019, 15:30 Uhr, Eröffnungszeremonie. * Anna-Lou Langsam verstummen die mich umgebenden lebhaften Gespräche. Die Lichter des Saales erlöschen und meine Blicke richten sich erwartungsvoll auf die noch leere Leinwand. Verschwommen erscheint der Umriss eines goldenen Bären, der sich wirbelnd tausend anderen Bären anschließt. Miteinander verschmolzen nehmen sie die Form einer strahlenden sich drehenden Sonnenkugel an, die sich langsam am Horizont verliert und plötzlich explodiert. Ein Bären-Big Bang, das sich funkensprühend auf der ganzen Leinwand ausdehnt. Gebannt sehe ich zu, wie diese Funken eine glitzernde Bärengestalt formen. Die flackernde Leuchtschrift „69. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin“ trifft mich wie ein Schlag. Die Berlinale, ein faszinierender, bislang unerreichbarer Traum, ist im Begriff, wahr zu werden. Dienstag, 7:52 Uhr, Friedenau. Carlotta Puh! Ich stehe in meinem Zimmer unter meinem Hochbett und habe gerade die Shaun-das-Schaf-Weckermusik ausgemacht...