Rosanna Graf

Europa Europa

HD-Video, Sound, Colour, 23:40 min., in collaboration with Jakob Engel, 2021

Europa Europa is a project about the virtuality of (visual) language and the limits of a European (self-)understanding. A discussion with few words and lesser conclusions about the constitution of the small Asian Cape "Europe".
As an enigmatic duo, two women are on a journey across Europe to the southern border of the continent. In their luggage: a mysterious suitcase, which in the end the women throw in the maw of Mount Etna. The mythological figure of Europa is mirrored and doubled in these two women, who at the same time found a new modern myth. During the journey they are confronted with themselves as Europe, Europe as landscape and an intersubjective landscape of an (outdated?) European idea. Their verbal and nonverbal dialogues become references to dusty, endlessly repeated images. The camera captures the subliminal instability of an outdated system in shaky, off-balance images. Something seethes under the marble surfaces, that are mercilessly penetrated by the high heels of the women and the rolls of their Rimowa suitcase.
Does this suitcase contain the European idea? Is the duo on a secret elimination mission?
The relationship between the two women symbolizes the European oxymoron to resemble each other in difference and to seemingly understand each other in incomprehension.

Directed by Jakob Engel and Rosanna Graf
with Sofia Elena Borsani und Nina Zeljkovic
DOP: Jakob Engel
Words: Rosanna Graf
Editing: Rosanna Graf
Sound Design: Rosanna Graf
Singer: Jacob Bussmann
Sound Mixing: Jakob Engel
3D Rendering: Stefan Klosterkötter
Special Sound Effect: Konrad Wehrmeister
Sound Recording (Cologne): Jakob Engel
Sound Recording (Hamburg): Sebastian Muxfeldt
Mit freundlicher Unterstützung des Freundeskreis der HFBK Hamburg

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Europa Europa

HD-Video, Sound, Colour, 23:40 min.,
in collaboration with Jakob Engel, 2021

Europa Europa is a project about the virtuality of (visual) language and the limits of a European (self-)understanding. A discussion with few words and lesser conclusions about the constitution of the small Asian Cape "Europe".
As an enigmatic duo, two women are on a journey across Europe to the southern border of the continent. In their luggage: a mysterious suitcase, which in the end the women throw in the maw of Mount Etna. The mythological figure of Europa is mirrored and doubled in these two women, who at the same time found a new modern myth. During the journey they are confronted with themselves as Europe, Europe as landscape and an intersubjective landscape of an (outdated?) European idea. Their verbal and nonverbal dialogues become references to dusty, endlessly repeated images. The camera captures the subliminal instability of an outdated system in shaky, off-balance images. Something seethes under the marble surfaces, that are mercilessly penetrated by the high heels of the women and the rolls of the Rimowa suitcase.
Does this suitcase contain the European idea? Is the duo on a secret elimination mission?
The relationship between the two women symbolizes the European oxymoron to resemble each other in difference and to seemingly understand each other in incomprehension.

Back