© Alamode Film/Filmagentinnen

Exil (Exile)
Germany/Belgium/Kosovo 2020

Opening 20 Aug 2020

Directed by: Visar Morina
Writing credits: Visar Morina, Ulrich Köhler
Principal actors: Misel Maticevic, Sandra Hüller, Rainer Bock, Thomas Mraz, Stephan Grossmann

Coming home to a hanging dead rat on the fence door sets Xhafer’s (Mišel Matičević) deepest phobia in motion. It is the kind of fear goes deep beneath the skin. Xhafer soon realizes that since he is the only foreigner at at his work, he is being excluded from circles. As a non-German, he notices that the team is always referencing where he’s coming from and usually getting it wrong. They never discuss important issues with him nor do they include him in the team. He doesn’t receive important emails. The boss doesn’t have time to talk to him. It begins to affect his family’s life. He has a short affair with the company’s maid, but then gets caught by her son. His isolation becomes apparent when the family’s baby carriage is set on fire and he really loses it. No one understands him.

The film atmosphere is claustrophobic and intense. The film mounts with tension but has a disappointed and unsatisfying ending. It didn’t really stay true to this question of discrimination or bullying in the work environment. (Shelly Schoeneshoefer)

 
 
 
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