Ivette Löcker: We Can Raise Awareness of an Issue Such as Racism

The film OUR TIME WILL COME by Ivette Löcker is an emotional story of two people who stumble at every step over prejudice and an Austrian system that crushes migrants, yet, like in a fairy tale, their love proves stronger than all obstacles.  The film is being screened in the Competition Programme - Documentary Film of the 31st Sarajevo Film Festival.

 

 

I met Victoria in 2017 at the film festival in Graz, where she presented an experimental film. A few years later, she wrote to me that she was now married to Siaka, a man from Gambia. Both approached me with the idea of documenting Siaka's story and his experiences as a migrant. They felt the need to share their story on a larger scale. When I met Victoria and Siaka as a couple during our research discussions, I was immediately fascinated by their shared charisma, strength, and love. It quickly became clear to me that I wanted to make a film about the inner workings of an interracial relationship - a perspective that we, as members of a white majority society, know far too little about. I am very happy that the two agreed to participate in the film, even though their original intention was different, and that we were able to devote ourselves to documenting their lives together over the course of a year. 

 

The protagonists give us an intimate insight into their lives and their thoughts about them. I find that very courageous. This intense encounter, which can trigger unpredictable emotions and topics, makes people vulnerable. We had agreed in advance that there might be boundaries in conflict situations where we as a film crew would withdraw, and we respected those boundaries. At the same time, my intention was to give both voices equal space. As a director, I am naturally involved in a conversation situation; I become part of it. As a director, I do not have a neutral position from which I can observe “objectively.” I position myself by intervening in a certain way, asking questions, or even interrupting the conversation. It is important to me to make this transparent in the film. Nevertheless, it is not always easy to endure these ambivalences behind the camera.  

 

When Siaka recounts his experiences of racist violence, we can clearly see and feel that he is physically reliving these scenes from the past—and this is transferred to us, the viewers. I think this is also where the power of documentary film lies: we can raise awareness of an issue such as racism on a narrative and emotional level. It was important to us to give Siaka time and space to talk about his experiences. Siaka is a victim of racism, but he has not been broken by it – he calls on all of us to fight racism together. Because this requires everyone, especially us as members of the white majority society. The film is aimed primarily at us white people, to help us understand what everyday life shaped by racism can look like. 

 

A colourful wedding in Gambia is almost a movie within a movie. It is a story full of bright colours and unadulterated purity of poor people who reflect the soles of their feet dancing joyfully in the dust. How did this ode to life and joy look to you, as an observer from Europe? 

It would be wonderful if we had more of these colours in our lives here! The joie de vivre of the people in Gambia, who live in far more complicated circumstances than many people in Europe, is contagious. The people live in a social collective, and this communal togetherness - being one big family - represents for me the greatest contrast to our isolated way of life in Europe. In the Gambia film sequence, we nevertheless tried to address ruptures and difficulties: how difficult it is to get an education; the issue of child marriage; the relationship between Europeans and Africans, which is always marked by inequality. Last but not least, we can also sense that Siaka has already changed through his life in Europe, that he is also looking for a way to live with both cultures. 

 

 

Victoria and Siaka's wish to be a family has come true. The three of them now live together in the apartment in Vienna that we see in the film. Siaka tends the garden in the courtyard of their house, together with their neighbour. Victoria has started her own business with her graphic design studio. Siaka continues to work as a gardener. Their daughter goes to kindergarten. I don't know if the ending is fairy-tale-like—everyday life is a constant challenge for every couple and every family, no matter how big or small the cultural differences are. But what I do know is that the two of them have built up a lot of resilience together to face the uncertainties of life and enjoy its beautiful sides.