Short films by Daniel Asadi Faezi and Mila Zhluktenko

In their joint works, Daniel Asadi Faezi and Mila Zhluktenko combine historical and political issues with a sensitive, often poetic observation of places and their inhabitants. Through documentary recordings, archival material, productions and fables, the two filmmakers develop independent forms of remembering and storytelling. In doing so, they follow traces of the past that have inscribed themselves in the present — in urban space, in architecture and landscape — and relate them to the consequences of migration, war and racism. Her work is the result of concrete encounters with places and people and does not follow any prefabricated ideas. In this special program, Asadi Faezi and Zhluktenko present three short films and also provide insights into their latest work during a discussion afterwards.

Film program

Waking up in Silence, R.: Daniel Asadi Faezi, Mila Zhluktenko, Germany 2023, 18', Ukrainian with English subtitles

The filmmakers accompany refugee children from Ukraine in a former Wehrmacht barracks in Schweinfurt. Through everyday exploration and games, the current reality of the children is intertwined with the history of the place.

Looking back, R.: Daniel Asadi Faezi, Mila Zhluktenko, Deutschland 2025, 14', German with English subtitles

At the center of the film is the Munich Olympic Shopping Center (ÖZ). Using archival footage, the continuity of exclusion and violence is examined and reflects on how political structures manifest themselves in collective memory.

Critical Condition, R.: Mila Zhluktenko, Deutschland 2025, 24', Ukrainian with English Subtitles

Inspired by the life of Ukrainian journalist Lev Rebet in the diaspora in Munich, Critical Condition combines historical and contemporary perspectives to form a poetic reflection on exile and political struggles.