BANG [DING DONG]

Bang [Ding Dong] is a new video artwork by Meggy Rustamova, created at the invitation of the FOMU. The film tells the story of a group of children who learn the Dutch language. Rustamova starts from her personal memories as an eight-year-old refugee in Europe. Just like other newcomers, she stumbled over the word 'afraid'. She practiced her pronunciation with similar sounds: Ding Dong! Bang Bang! Words as if from a cartoon. By working with young refugees, Rustamova asks herself: what does the word 'scared' mean now? What are these children afraid of? Is it permissible to frighten children? To protect them from danger? But what if it becomes fear of the other person? And how is our current society anxious? Bang [Ding Dong] is a short film based on Rustamova's own class photo from the early 90s, her visits to the asylum seeker center and the photos the children took of their living environment. Rustamova sensitively brings together photography, film and language and highlights the everyday experiences of young refugees without discussing their traumas.

Director’s note: I had a school photo from my personal archive that I had wanted to do something with for several years, but until now I had not found the right context and timing. I deliberately say 'school photo' and not 'class photo' because the children photographed do not belong to one class, not to one age category, but to one group, namely children who are refugees. I was one of them. Because I can speak from my personal experience and know the sensitivities like no other, I thought it was deontologically responsible to enter the world of the reception center. I do not view people from an exotic or patronizing point of view, but from within, reflecting on my own experiences, memories and dreams for the future. Having to leave your country of birth as a child is a very abrupt transition. I wanted to respect everyone's personal boundaries and therefore focus on the artistic side, namely creating images, capturing new memories and providing tools for self-expression.

© Meggy Rustamova