8 1/2 Bottles

The film describes my journey and encounter with the refugees of Al Amari camp. It tracks 8/9 individuals, all with various fates and desires, thus the metaphor of 8 ½ bottles. At the beginning of the film, I arrive on an Arabic bus from east Jerusalem to al Amari to visit its refugees. Then, you see the individuals through a more authentic perspective. I gave several people the opportunity to express their feelings and record their own daily life; I lent them a video camera and a notebook to write down their wishes in for a few days. Through this process you see a mosaic of 8/9 characters. Despite their differences, they all have something in common. The main theme of the stories are transcendence and uncertainty, as seen from different points of view. The film is narrated through images, by a certain poetic form, about awareness of one´s own dimensions, life vocation and values such as home and family. I´ve made personal contact with participants, they trust me to pass their message on to the world. At the end, I´m faced with the question of whom to tell about their message in the world full of problems. Therefore the film comes to the image of 8 plugged bottles, which might very well be washed away with the breaking waves of the Mediterranean Sea.