Session VII: Non-Spaces

Moderated by Maria Hansen & Meret Namaï Weiss

Finally, we will delve into non-spaces: places that do not yet exist, that remain unseen or need to be created. These films explore different aspects of non-spaces: personal and social boundaries, identity and (in)visibility. They tell of resistance, self-empowerment and the struggle for visibility. Afterwards, the closing panel invites us to reflect on the festival as a space of the in-between, a place of dialogue and participation where we can support the creation of these new spaces through film.

The Quietness is Fake (28 min)

Netherlands, 2024, English / English sub.
Directed by Melia Martha Josefine Weltzien

How much harm has been done by not talking about it? How much more by speaking about it irresponsibly? And why is the burden of breaking the silence so often placed on the survivors themselves? The Quietness is Fake is an intimate and thought-provoking exploration of the unspoken and often unspeakable experiences of sexual violence. In this experimental ethnographic film, the filmmaker enters deep conversations and creative collaborations with artists who actively question the harmful silence, and re-claim their personal experiences of sexual violence through their art. The filmmaker encourages the audience to listen to survivors’ voices and to reflect on the pervasive silence, discomfort and taboos that often accompany discussions of sexual violence.

‘The Quietness is Fake gently addresses the process of healing, which rarely leaves the intimate space of the survivors, due to the social and cultural stigma associated with it. The film challenges this silence, by displaying the pain, solidarity, and personal growth many survivors experience, creating a space for public discourse. It respectfully casts a light where society has cast a shadow. The film is a feminist reflection on the socialization of many survivors to remain silent, reminding us that we can and should create spaces to dispose of stigma’ – Miri Rizvi.

Melia Martha Josefine Weltzien’s film is part of her Master’s thesis at the University of Amsterdam.

Content warning: sexual violence, trauma.

Endometriosis: Chronically Invisible (9 min)

Switzerland, 2022, German / English sub.
Directed by Lynn Kohli

What happens when we enter a space of undone science? This film invites you to enter a field in which research is desperately needed but left undone. Men report on women’s experiences with endometriosis. Changing their perspectives leads to irritation and finally lets us recognize gender-based discrimination as a cause for this lack of knowledge: if endometriosis were a man’s disease, there would probably be much more knowledge about it!

‘In just nine minutes, Kohli successfully presents a complex topic in a concise and effective way. Her film is both a scientific reflection and a committed call for more research and awareness in medicine. It is brilliant how she deliberately creates irritation and provocation with the choice of means of her filmmaking’ – Frederik Güntensperger.

Lynn Kohli is aStudent of Social Anthropology and Political Science at the University of Zurich. This film was part of her Bachelor’s thesis.

Content warning: medical issues.

We Drink Water from the Same River (9 min)

Azerbaijan, Russian Federation, 2021, English / English sub.
Directed by Sofia Melikova

We Drink Water from The Same River is based on filmmaker Melikova’s personal story of being an Indigenous Female artist from a traditional patriarchal community, where her profession is considered a nonsense.
The film is a documentary story woven from Melikova’s dreams, envisioning that performative practices will overcome societal stigma and restrictions.

Sofia Melikova is a multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker, and human rights activist based in St. Petersburg, born into an ethnic Azerbaijanian Tsakhur family. This film was created at the Tbilisi Photography & Multimedia Museum Art Residency Programme.