Germany, Switzerland 2019, 97 min
by Noël Dernesch, Olli Waldhauer
Agit, Ahmad, Parham, Kianush and Sinan - five men with different backgrounds and different lives. They do, however, have one thing in common: they are, or were, to a greater or lesser extent nestled in the structures of gangs and large families that operate under the radar in the grey zones or completely outside the law. In social discussions, their everyday realities are quickly waved away with catchphrases like "parallel societies" and "criminal clans." ANOTHER REALITY doesn't just show the external structures of this world that runs according to its own rules, but goes deeper into the coherencies and everyday realities of the protagonists. Ahmad from Berlin, for example, doesn't want to give in to the temptations of easy money that are part of his daily existence, while Parham from Essen turned his life as a street thug into a music career and is enjoying success as a hip-hop artist under the name PA Sports.In the more than three years of filming, Noël Dernesch and Olli Waldhauer became astoundingly close to the five men. Agit, Ahmad, Parham, Kianush and Sinan willingly and honestly shared their experiences, desires, and fears, as they confronted the contradictions of their lifestyles and how they deal with the consequences of their actions.
