GESCHÜTZTER RAUM | SAFE SPACE
Germany | 2014 | short fiction | 13 min | color | Super 16mm | English, German, French | Subtitles available in English, German, Spanish, Chinese
Sara is fighting for refugee rights in Berlin. The fight for equality seems adventurous at day and romantic at night. When harmless advance turns into a sexual assault, the group is forced to rethink their aims and the private story grows to an unwanted public dimension. SAFE SPACE is a daring and important discourse film that asks a lot of questions and leaves us with the difficult task of finding our own answers.
Directors Statement
I wanted to divide the film into two parts: The first being a typical political drama with suffering refugees and privileged rescuers, ending with the taboo of a black man raping a white woman; and the second being a pure discussion about what happened in the first section. After the rape scene it felt necessary to have an interruption. I wanted the discussion to then go on in the audience‘s mind. Is it justified to fight for personal justice if it means jeopardizing a larger social issue? Safe Space is about the difficulty that can result from conflicting issues.
AWARDS:
Max-Bresele-memorial-prize at Regensburger Short Film Week, 2nd prize at Mosaic Film Experience, US, Hot Issue Award at Luksuz FF, prize for special artistic achievement at Wendland Shorts, best student film at Logan FF, US, 1st prize for a social relevant film at Entretodos Sao Paulo ISFF, FBW - besonders wertvoll, Nominated for Best Short Film at German Critic's Award 2016, Best Film and Audience Award at FiSH, Golden Clip for Best Film at REC Berlin young IFF
FESTIVALS:
Montreal World FF 2015, Filmfest Dresden 2015, Sao Paulo ISFF 2015, Reykjavik IFF 2015, Riga IFF 2015, Austin FF 2015, Leeds IFF 2015, Filmschoolfest Munich 2015, Talinn Black Nights 2015, Next Generation Short Tiger in Cannes 2015, Hof 2014, Regensburger Short Film Week 2015, Durban IFF, Hof International Filmfest, Bieberacher Filmfestival, Vox Feminae, Mosaic Film Experience US, Luksuz Filmfestival, FICMEC 6, Achtung Berlin, San Sabastian Human Rights Filmfestival Donovia, FiSH - Festival im Stadthafen Rostock, Filmkunstfest Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Werkstatt der jungen Filmszene Wiesbaden, River Film Festival Italy, Festival des deutschen Films Madrid, Olhar de Cinema IFF, Brasil, Wendland Shorts, Fusion Festival, Internation Short Film Festival Detmold, Kerala ISFF, India, Lubuskie Lato Filmowe, Poland, Filmfest Wismar, DEA FF, Curtas VIla do Conde, Portugal, Shorts at Moonlight, Indy FF US, Imperfectu FF Mexico, Film and Arts Two Riversides Poland, Kolkata ISFF India, Snake Alley FF US, Isle of Wight FF UK, Manizales SFF Columbia, Open Air Weiterstadt, Kiezkieken Berlin SFF, Bengaluru ISFF India, Vina del Mar IFF, Ferfilm, MIC Genero Mexico, Meta Queerfest, Portobello FF London, Festival des deutschen Films Buenos Aires, Logan FF US, Arusha African Film Festival, Grand Rapids Feminist FF US, Film Festival for Women's Rights Croatia, Filmfestival Münster, REC Berlin young IFF, STIFF Croatia, Auroville FF India, Entretodos Sao Paulo Human Rights SFF, Rotary Club Heiligendamm Rostock, Festival des deutschen Films Paris, Warsaw FF Next Generation, Woman Make Waves FF, Thurrock Internation FF UK, Crime and Punishment IFF Turkey, Publicystyka Independent IFF Poland, Saga Stockholm Women's FF Sweden, Wiz-Art FF, Caruaru ISFF, KIN Women's IFF, Diaspora IFF Toronto Canada, Feminist and Queer IFF Romania, Alcine 45 Spain, IKUSKA Pasaia SFF, Flensburger Kurzfilmtage, Filmets Badalona FF, Heimspiel FF, China Women's FF, Magma ISFF Italy, Festival des deutschen Films Moskau, Festival des deutschen Films St. Petersburg, Best of Detmold ISFF, Berlin Art FF, Gesichter Symposium, Green Bay FF, Festival des deutschen Films NYC US 2016, Festival de Finos Filmes Sao Paulo Brazil 2019
