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Sie sind nicht von hier: Bauarbeiter Stefan, ein rumänischer Arbeitsmigrant, und die aus China stammende Botanikerin Shuxiu. Während der schlaflose Stefan Tag und Nacht durchs sommerliche Brüssel wandelt, seine Schwester trifft oder mit Freunden abhängt, widmet Shuxiu sich ihrem Studium der Moose oder hilft im Lokal ihrer Tante. Dort treffen die beiden einander und fühlen sich sofort verbunden. Das 4:3-Framing ist präzise, die Erzählweise gemessen, elliptisch und an Stellen intensiv moosig; so entwickelt HERE eine singuläre Atmosphäre, welche dem Film bei der Berlinale den Hauptpreis der Sektion Encounters beschert hat. (Roman Scheiber)

In Anwesenheit von Bas Devos und Liyo Gong.

Here in Belgium, there is Stefan, one of the workers of an ever-expanding city, just like in every urban centre in this part of the world. He is preparing to return to Romania, as he has not found his place in Brussels. To create some memories before he leaves, he prepares a soup to share with colleagues. A hot meal makes you feel at home. In need of one himself and to shelter from a summer storm, he encounters a local woman helping out in a Chinese restaurant. The sun sets among the buildings under construction, but Stefan prefers to walk and discover new places when the city is resting from its productivity. During the day, he also prefer to go by foot than take commuter routes; by walking one can observe the light, listen to the wind, feel the present space and time. Bas Devos captures the melancholic beauty of a silent city and masterfully reveals the poetry of nature down to its smallest elements, teased out by light. He probes these natural structures with the camera lens, including the microscope analysis of the woman Stefan meets again. Moss is a vibrant ecosystem, like a miniature forest, resistant to human passage, barely noticeable. When you look at the things that otherwise go unnoticed, you can finally feel that you’re here. (Eva Sangiorgi)

In the presence of Bas Devos and Liyo Gong.

Bas Devos: TAURUS (2006, K), PILLAR (2006, K), THE CLOSE (2008, K), VIOLET (2014), GHOST TROPIC (2019), HELLHOLE (2019)