Films by Rüdiger Kortz

Germany 2010, 87 min
by Barbara Trottnow

A long-term observation on Turkish women migrating to Germany because they marry a Turkish man living there. Once the men’s families have gone to Germany as foreign workers. A language school in Balıkesir (Turkey) is the starting point for the film. There the women learn German, because only with the proof of German knowledge they get a visa for Germany. The film accompanies three women of a German course on their way in a new life. It shows how they have lived in Turkey and how difficult their life is in Germany. Not only the language problems stop them from getting to know their new environment. Happy, in love and looking forward to the future we have got to know the women in Turkey. Later, in Germany they notice, that e.g. her wish to find a job is hardly realizable. When the men’s families came to Germany, there was work for unqualified people, and also the language problems didn’t play an important role. Today this is completely different.

Germany 2006, 60 min
by Barbara Trottnow

In 1966 Emine was only 18 when she left her Turkish village Incesu alone to work in Germany. She could hardly read, write or calculate, as she had only two years of school. Her family hoped she would help them all out of poverty.It is the story of a migration, one example standing for many.The films interest lies in Emine's remarkable frankness in sharing her life and thoughts. At the age of 56, she is looking back.An important part of the film takes place at Incesu, a remote village in Anatolia. Everyday scenes show the contrast between life there and here. This also illustrates how large the leap was Emine dared to make. Used to say YES, Emine learnt to say NO, one year ago she left her husband, a Turk from her village who followed her to Germany. She has three children and four grandchildren.