Social Contract
What holds society together? Values that define itself, and rules that guarantee its functioning. Written and unwritten laws. So much for theory. Put into practice, things become more complicated: What about those who remain excluded? And what about those who step out of line? Four films about social microcosms and their aproach to questions of inside and outside. Singular cases and marginal phenomena which, however, tell us a lot about the world we live in. A program about tolerance and state authority, vigilantes and outsiders, about the building and the falling of walls.
Masi's Law
Masiphumelele, auch Masi genannt, ist ein Township in Kapstadt, Südafrika. Die Polizei ist hier kaum präsent, die Kriminalitätsrate hoch. Eine Gruppe von Bürger/innen hat deshalb beschlossen, das Gesetz in die eigenen Hände zu nehmen: Eine Art inoffizielle Freiwilligenmiliz. Die „Bambanani“, versucht im Namen der Gemeinschaft die allgegenwärtigen Verbrechen zu verfolgen und zu ahnden. Der Film dokumentiert, wie in Abwesenheit staatlicher Rechtsdurchsetzung Selbstjustiz als das geringste Übel erscheint.
- Südafrika, Republik
- 13:43 Min.
- Director: Aaro Hazak, Adam Jacobi Møller
- Languages: englisch
- Year: 2012
Bouchbennersch Otto - vom Umgang mit Andersartigke
„Bouchbennersch Otto“ was born in 1907 in Emmerichenhain, Westerwald under the name of Otto Müller. He witnessed two World Wars, became a bookbinder and later a municipality servant, whose duty it was to call out the local announcements in the small town and the surrounding villages. Everybody knew Otto, everybody remembers him, everybody has some story to tell. But speaking about Otto necessarily implies speaking about oneself, about the nature of the village and the way people treat each other.
- Deutschland
- 29:30 Min.
- Director: Janina Jung
- Languages: deutsch
- Subtitles: englische
- Year: 2012
Ekali - The Wall
Ekali is a suburb of Athens and the wealthiest residential area in Greece. In order to settle here, money alone is not enough – the club members prefer to stick with their kind. And how does it feel to be part of this elite? Definitely not isolated, says one person. A little bit boring, possibly, says another. It's only dangerous when you lose your fear, says the security officer. Of mansions and gardens, walls and gates, lap dogs and guard dogs.
- Griechenland
- 27:00 Min.
- Director: Yiannis Gaitanidis
- Languages: griechisch
- Subtitles: englische
- Year: 2011
The Very Best Location
An apartment building in Berlin, situated next to the new headquarters of the Bundesnachrichtendienst, the foreign intelligence service of Germany. In the GDR era, the border was right here. Several generations of habitants share their memories of an eventful piece of land that they could watch from their balconies. How do they see things from here? Which changes have they witnessed? And what is the Bundesnachrichtendienst about?
- Deutschland
- 20:00 Min.
- Director: Rosa Lübbe
- Languages: deutsch
- Year: 2012