Dear Beautiful Beloved 2024
There is a war going on in Europe. Our neighbors are fleeing from death and destruction. What is it like to escape a war? What will be lost forever? What cannot be taken from a person?
There is a war going on in Europe. Our neighbors are fleeing from death and destruction. What is it like to escape a war? What will be lost forever? What cannot be taken from a person?
We’re travelling from luxury kitchen to luxury kitchen with Agnes, from Bergisch Gladbach via Barcelona to the Faroe Islands. The cook’s luggage always includes her backpack containing various knives, cleavers and tweezers. The camera watches over the inquisitive young woman’s shoulder as delicacies are being prepared. Our mouths water. At the same time, we get insights into the different ways of running a restaurant. It’s about team spirit and equality at the stove.
A small German village in the south of Brandenburg is preparing for a traditional youth ceremony. Children become adults, which is a cause worth celebrating. The young Kai lives with his father on a farm. They have invited guests for the festive meal planned for the following day. Everything has been arranged and the calf is ready for slaughter. But Kai's father does not want to slaughter or celebrate, he wants his peace. Driven by the fear that everything could go wrong, Kai races through the sleepy village. The afternoon leads him to Lea, a local girl. With her, time takes on a different pace. KAI captures a formative moment in life, where a boy tries to find a way out. From a village, from a family situation and from his own anxieties.
After 21 years I return to my city of birth in order to find out what would have occured to my family if we hadn't fled the war.