Films by Carmen Butta

2021, 26 min
by Carmen Butta

"Boxing has not only made my body strong, but also my personality," says Lina, "I can defend myself and feel more confident." Now she dares to speak her mind. And the fact that she is the smallest in her class no longer matters to her.The twelve-year-old Lina also has to fight outside the ring - against the prejudices of neighbors and school friends. They say boxing is not a sport for girls and consider female martial arts to be "immoral and indecent". But Lina doesn't let them unsettle her. She

Germany 2021, 52 min
by Carmen Butta

More and more young women in Jordan are breaking out of their traditional role and stepping into the ring, wearing boxing gloves besides of the hijab. By fighting they want to strengthen their bodies, but also their personality, in order to empower and defend themselves against violence and oppression. But still, in the conservative, male dominated Jordan society, their path is full of stones.The film portrays the 31-year-old Bedouin Reem al-Shammary, Jordan's featherweight champion. We follow h

Germany 2019, 25 min
by Carmen Butta

When music rises above the smoking garbage dump at sunset, the thoughts of 12 year old Fidel Otieno float into the distance. He merges with his saxophone and no longer sees the huts of the slum in front of him, but dreams of an audience that is enthusiastic about his music.For two years, Fidel has played as a saxophonist in "Ghetto Classics", a classic youth orchestra that miraculously emerged in the most dangerous slum in the Kenyan metropolis of Nairobi. It started with 14 children playing the

Germany 2019, 43 min
by Carmen Butta

Miraculously, a classic youth orchestra has emerged in the middle of the most dangerous slum in Nairobi. Until then, hardly anyone in Korogocho had seen a violin or a cello. Today Bach sonatas blow over the smoking garbage dump, and the 'Ghetto Classics' orchestra celebrates concerts all over the city of millions. But it is much more than music. For more and more young people, ghetto classics is also the way to a different life beyond violence, poverty, drugs and crime. With classical music they

Germany 2017, 44 min
by Carmen Butta

For most Americans West Virginia is the remote, wild “Hillbilly Country“ deep in the Appalachians. During the fall the mountains blaze with color. But underneath this idyllic landscape lurks hell: a labyrinth of narrow, dark tunnels, where miners crawl on their hands and knees all day long. Metallurgical coal, a vital ingredient for the steel industry, the “black gold“ of West Virginia, once built the USA. Today West Virginia is one of the poorest states. And it is Trump-land, since the Presiden

Germany 2014, 45 min
by Carmen Butta

Despite extensive surveillance a German film team managed to shoot officially forbidden motifs and gain surprising insights into North Korea’s everyday life. A seldom seen road trip across North Korea. A bizarre and beautiful country of contrasts, North Korea has long kept its citizens in an ideological freeze. But more and more ordinary people now have the cash to afford imported Western luxuries, thanks to new jobs across the border in China, and the emergence of a thriving black market. Membe

Germany 2013, 25 min
by Carmen Butta

The 14-year old Akram is a fisherman from Gaza. He had to leave school with 12 years, because his father was sick and someone had to feed the family. He would have loved to continue school, but now he likes to be a fisherman. He belongs to a typical Palestinian family with 54 members, who all live in a big house in the centre of Gaza. His dream is to  steer a big fisherboat. But like all other children in Gaza he also dreams of a life without war, bombs and destroyed houses.

Germany 2013, 44 min
by Carmen Butta

The flying boys from Gaza through their acrobatics and free running try to break free from their imprisoned everyday. ‘Parkour’ is their passion: the art of overcoming gravity, your own fear and environmental limits. New obstacles inspire them to do even more dangerous jumps. More than tha in the Gaza Strip ‘Parkour’ is also a way to rebel against the conservative Hamas.