Arada
Jonas Schaffter, doc., 83 min., CH 2020
Nominated for the Prix de Soleure 2020
Nominated for the Basel Film Award 2020
Winner Documentary Award 2020, Alexis Victor Thalberg Foundation
«Arada» follows the stories of three men who grew up in Switzerland but do not have Swiss passports. Due to criminal offenses they have been deported to Turkey, the homeland of their parents. Vedat and Duran were expelled only a few years ago, while Mustafa was deported in the 1990s.
Mustafa lives in the village of his ancestors where he started a new family. He’s come to terms with his Swiss past even though he left behind a – now adult – son when he was forced to leave the country. Vedat and Duran live in metropolitan Istanbul, and both work as call agents for German-speaking companies. They struggle to cope with the local culture and still cling to their Swiss identity.
Arada means (in)between in Turkish. In its examination of a highly relevant, controversial subject – the deportation of
second-generation immigrants convicted of criminal offenses – the film touches on fundamental questions about the concepts of nationality and cultural identity in a time of resurgent nationalism. «Arada» explores a hidden milieu and tells moving stories about individual human fates behind the political and legal disputes over deportation policy.
Festivals
Solothurn Film Festival, Competition Prix de Soleure, January 2020, Switzerland
36th DOK.fest Munich, Competition DOK.deutsch, May 2021, Germany
14th Documentarist Istanbul, Panorama, July 2021, Turkey
18th PROVINZIALE – Filmfest Eberswalde, Competition, October 2021, Germany
What the critics say
«A precise, artfully woven study of home, nationality, identity. «Arada» means «in between».»
Ysabel Fantou, DOK.fest Munich
«(…) The film shows images of luminous beauty like the skyline of Istanbul or the snowy Anatolian mountains. However, these apparently touristic views are only reinforcing the loneliness in the protagonists‘ voices. And their repentance. (…) But Schaffter proves that there is more to it than mere nostalgia, broaching the issues of economic difficulties and the increasing nationalistic atmosphere in Turkey.»
Marcy Goldberg, WOZ Die Wochenzeitung
««Arada» sees Schaffter filming the humanity that hides behind three destinies which are different, yet fundamentally alike; he follows the existential doubts experienced by these three men, who know they have lost the opportunity of a lifetime. What makes the young Swiss director’s documentary particularly interesting isn’t just the fact that he tackles the delicate subject of forced expulsions, but also – and most importantly – his exploration of male identity. (…) Jonas Schaffter successfully avoids the trap of rose-tinted portrayals, showing the positive but also the shadier sides of his three protagonists.»
Muriel Del Don, www.cineuropa.org
«An expertly filmed and edited, multi-layered portrait.»
DOK.fest Munich
«The gravity of their offences is undeniable; however, Schaffter’s ability to introduce a man – his humanity and fragility – before his crimes is commendable.»
Sevara Pan, Modern Times Reviews
The film’s official website
VOD (only within CH) on myfilm.ch
A soap factory production in co-production with ZHdK and SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen, SRG SSR
Writer, director: Jonas Schaffter
Original version in Swiss German and Turkish with English, German or French subtitles, 83 min.
World sales: soap factory GmbH
Distribution Switzerland: cineworx GmbH
Crew
Producer: Frank Matter
Writer, director: Jonas Schaffter
DOP: Simon Denzler
Location sound: Jonas Schaffter
Edited by: Robert von Tessin,Selin Dettwiler
With Vedat Bicer, Duran Deniz, Mustafa Afşar and many more
Music written by: Thomas Jeker
Performed by: Thomas Jeker, Christian Moser
Producers ZHdK: Sabine Gisiger, Anita Wasser
Commissioning Editor SRF:, Urs Augstburger
Line producer ZHdK: Filippo Bonacci
Directing mentor ZHdK: Sabine Gisiger
Location manager Turkey: Dilara Tigli
Camera 2nd unit: Robin Angst
Additional camera: Jonas Schaffter
Assistant editor: Fabienne Koch
Editing Mentor: Kaya Inan
Color grading: Noah Frey
Post-production assistants: Josef Adler, Paulina Kerber, Uday Akyol
Sound design: Thomas Jeker
Sound editing and design: Patrick Becker, NurTon GmbH
Sound mixing: Gregg Skerman
Sound consultant ZHdK: Maurizius Staerkle Drux
Communication and sales: Loredana-Nastassja Fernández
Translations Turkish: Selin Dettwiler, Uday Akyol, Nurgül Kaan
Subtitles: Manuela Vonwiller, ZAXAPH
Graphic design: Tristesse
Project accountants: Marcel Pfeiffer, Jeanette Stenz
Research assinstant: Ali Ekber Celik
Additional music: «Le ranz des vaches»,
men’s chorus of the intercantonal choirs, Switzerland
Financial support
Fachausschuss Audiovision und Multimedia der Kantone Basel-Stadt und Basel-Landschaft
Bundesamt für Kultur (EDI), Schweiz
Landis & Gyr Stiftung
Volkart Stiftung
Kulturstiftung SUISSIMAGE
Jubiläumsstiftung der Schweizerischen Mobiliar Genossenschaft
MAHARI-Stiftung
FONDATION SUISA
Additional financial support
Christin Achermann, Alberto Achermann, Gülsha Adilji, Stefania Akrabova, Gülten Akgünlü, Vania Alleva, Balance Audit AG, Lea Baldiger, Anna Baltensperger, Zoe Baumgart, Sonja Berger, David Bollag, Noëmi Bossard, Samuel Bramley, Marc Brandes, Maja Bretscher, Andrea Brodbeck, Güvengül Köz Brown, Susanna Bürgler, Jasmin Camenzind, Madeleine Corbat, Vivian Crettol, Dominik Denzler, Michèle Dick, Verein Dorfläbe, Urs Dünner, Marie-Luise & Bernhard Ehrenzeller, Fabrizio Fracassi, Babak Fragahi, Denise Furter, Peter Gisler, Daniel Grossheutschi, Barbaros Gürler, Philipp Grünenfelder, Sonya Haksar, Laura Hallström. Nabila Hammad, Ruth Häusler, Yvonne Hermann, Felix Herzog, Hans Herzog, Achim & Fiona Imboden, Kaya Inan, Beatrix Kamber, Christine Kamber, Sabine Keller, Ursula Landolf, Aylin Laubscher, Hansjörg Leimer, Andrea Leuthold, Johanna Lutz, Elias Luzi, Pat Löffel, Werner Löffel, Lukas Meili, Gemeinde Metzerlen-Mariastein, Lucia Miggiano, Seraina Nett, Eva-Maria Odermatt, Yasemin Ongun, Nina Oppliger, Linda Dagli Orti, Manuela Plattner, Andreas Riss, Jurik Rockenbach, Michael & Simone Rockenbach-Renz, Dieter & Brigitte Roth, Viktoria & Dieter Roth-Schaffter, Paul Rubin, Annekäthi Schaffter, Elena Schaffter, Ivo Schaffter, Kurt & Ida Schaffter, Urban, Juliane, Carlotta & Johanna Schaffter, Ruth Meier-Schaffter, Thomas & Maria Schaffter, Nicolas Scharowski, Liane Schär-Spohn, Stefan Schlegel, Nico Schmied, Lena Signer, Christine Signer, Martin Skalsky, Carmen Stark-Saner, Joël Steib, Nora Togni, Andrej Trcek, Corina Tritten, Hannes Verbeke, Leah Vogler, Stefan Walt, Fanny de Weck, Susanna Wetzel, Sabine Wyss-Herrli, Marco Zaug