Favoriten
Favoriten is one of the most culturally diverse neighborhoods in Vienna and the starting point of Ruth Beckermann’s latest documentary, in which she accompanies a class of pupils from the age of seven to ten. Their ambitious teacher, Ilkay, is determined to create an inclusive, supportive and safe environment for the kids. The majority of children don’t speak German at home, some families are wounded by war experience and many face discrimination. Despite few resources from the educational system, Ilkay gently navigates her class through daily adventures, defeats and victories. The result is an astonishingly cheerful portrait of a small community mirroring the complexities of contemporary European society. The film is an ode to childhood, celebrating the work of educators and lifelong learning in and outside the classroom.
[CPH:DOX '24] The camera pans around the classroom focusing on the children, standing at their height. The film shows the reality of the Austrian primary school, in which budget cuts cause surprising situations. In this three-year journey, the problems around are introduced, but also cultural and religious differences. The students interview themselves, offering different perceptions about marriage or their career aspirations. Maintaining a balance between observation and intervention, the film reflects, in a perhaps more hopeless way than it intends, the gaze towards an uncertain future.