Filmscreening & Artisttalk: SEPARATIONS – Who Belongs to the Neckar?

"Separations" is a documentary project currently in development. Beginning with the 2024 flood in Heidelberg, the film emerges at the intersection of the filmmaker's personal experience of living in the city and its ongoing conversations about the Neckar. At its core are two parallel phenomena: the constant coming and going of students and researchers, and the lives of the birds that inhabit the riverbanks.

In many conversations along the Neckar, “the goose situation” repeatedly came up. Rather than focusing solely on the birds themselves, we became interested in the stories, emotions, and debates they provoke. This serves as a starting point for exploring broader questions of migration, coexistence, belonging, and environmental change in Heidelberg.

On July 24, a preliminary screening of the work-in-progress will take place. On this occasion, we wish to open the discussion about the Neckar and the geese to the public.

The conversation may revolve around encounters with birds in Heidelberg, memories of the Neckarwiese, the changing riverbanks following the floods, and everyday experiences of living alongside urban bird populations—all of which will serve as starting points for new questions.

Osman Baran Özdemir (b. 1997) is a documentary filmmaker from Turkey whose films and video works explore memory, politics, and the construction of reality through personal and collective narratives.

Inah Kim (b. 1997, Seoul) is an artist and art historian who investigates the intersection of the public sphere and art. Interdisciplinary research lies at the core of her interests, in which architecture and cities are viewed not only as built spaces but also as lived ones.

The event will be held in English. Admission is free, and no registration is required.