4 Short Films Exploring Identity and Belonging | repsychl Selects

This week, as part of a new series, repsychl present a list of selected contemporary short films. The following shorts explore themes of identity and belonging.

1. Here and Away (2012)

“Sometimes I think that if you know one little place really well, it becomes every place, like we’re all just an island unto ourselves”

‘Here and Away’ is a short poetic narrative about urban vs rural living, identity and belonging. An old man living on a tiny island and a young woman living in one of the world’s largest cities wonder why there could ever be a better place to live.

2. Stray Sheep (2019)

As he falls from the sky, a man finds himself with nothing more than a lamb in a suitcase and an engagement ring in his pocket. Having lost his bearings, he embarks on a city-wide journey towards his arranged marriage with an unknown woman. As foreshadowed by the bleating lamb, the protagonist’s journey to his wedding is fatalistic and replete with allegories about manhood and sacrifice.

“The protagonist faces dilemmas that symbolize loss and the choices newcomers have to make when establishing their identity in foreign lands,” says Madja Amin, the film’s director. His work draws on his own struggles with belonging and identity, as he was born to Iraqi-Kurdish refugees.

In Amin’s view, many people are caught in a balancing act between multiple cultures and surroundings. The quest for human connection is explored through this layered and intricate narrative.

3. Diyar (2012)

Devrim Akkaya is a yoga instructor based in Istanbul. The focus of her work is investigating the effects of family traumas, especially those related to migration, child deaths, and murder on future generations.

In ‘Diyar’, she discovers her feelings of loneliness, lack of belonging, and resistance to starting her own family were related to the story of her great grandfather, Yusuf, who was adopted in 1915 during the Armenian Genocide.

The Armenian identity of her family had never been thoroughly explored. Upon sharing this with her family, she discovers that Yusuf is buried in the cemetery of the nameless. To fill her personal void, Devrim embarked on a quest to find him.

4. Voguing with Beethoven (2020)

In connection with Beethoven’s 250th jubilee, the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra presents a short film, entitled ‘Voguing with Beethoven’.

The film explores identity and belonging through a lens combining high culture with subculture. Directed by Emilie Norenberg.