Nominated for the EMAF Media Art Award of the Association of German Film Critics (VdFk)

English

I dreamed that I turned into an animal. I could cross the border freely, through the forest. I entered that land unnoticed – the land I miss and fear at the same time. I met my grandmother, whom I hadn’t seen for several years. She didn’t recognise me, but we stood very close to each other, in silence. In the Animal’s Skin explores the Belarus-Poland border cutting through the ancient Białowieża Forest – a protected sanctuary turned into a place of walls, detentions, and fear. The wall not only blocks refugees but also divides animal habitats and disrupts ancient migration routes. In Bohoniki, a Tatar village near the border, the local Tatar community buries refugees found in the forest with quiet dignity – a stark contrast to political neglect. The film reflects on borders, violence, and the fragile connections between humans, animals, and the forest that bears silent witness.

• Sektion Section: Film
• Programm Programme: From the Divide