Border Conversations

Storyline

Border Conversations is set in November 2021 as thousands of migrants are trying to enter the EU across Poland‘s border with Belarus. Kornelia and Karolina, two Polish activists, receive urgent calls for help via text messages on a daily basis. Trying to help, their support efforts are not successful. A film about facing the limitations of humanitarian aid.

About the film/director

When in August 2021 the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attracted migrants to the Polish-Belarusian border, I was shocked by the situation of the migrants: Trapped between the Belarusian border and the specially erected Polish border fence. But there was a lot of support for the people in the forest from the Polish civilian population. I always asked myself: How do the activists deal with their experiences?

During our shoot in November 2021, another aspect was added: Not being able to help. What does it mean to be asked for help every day and yet only be able to answer in the negative? My goal was for the viewers to take on the perspective of the activists in order to convey the pain that comes with answering such a message. Therefore, it was clear from the beginning that the chat conversations that our protagonists have with the people on the move, would become part of the narrative.

Although the film ostensibly takes the perspective of the activists and tells of their thoughts and feelings, it is overridingly about the thousands of people, families and mothers in the forest who are trying to cross the Polish-Belarusian border in search of a better life.

Jonathan Brunner
*1996, Mannheim
Jonathan is a director of documentaries and commercials. In 2020 he completed his bachelor‘s degree in Media Design at the University of Mainz. Since fall 2020 he is studying documentary film directing at the at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. In addition to that he has organised his own exhibition and published a book of photographs.

Filmography (Selection)

2023 Waiting, documentary, 25 min. (in postproduction)
2022 Border Conversations, documentary, 30 min.
2022 White Roses, documentary, 25 min.
2021 Pulling Corks, documentary, 17 min.
2020 10 Years, documentary, 12 min.
2018 Without Words, documentary, 33 min.

Credits

Director:

Jonathan Brunner

Script:

Jonathan Brunner

Camera:

Marie Scholjegerdes

Editor:

Samuel Albert

Music:

Frederic Hellmann

Cast:

Kornelia, Karolina, Gosia, Kasia

Producer:

Tristan Schneider (Produzent), Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH

Contact:

Jonathan Brunner, Tristan Schneider

E-Mail:

jonathan@brunner@filmakademie.de, tristan.schneider@filmakademie.de

• Germany
• OmeU (Polish, English)
• 2022
• 30 minutes