Avant il n’y avait rien (There Was Nothing Here Before)

On neutral Swiss soil, director Yvann Yagchi, the son of Palestinian migrants, and his Jewish best friend spent a carefree childhood far away from politics. As adults, they both yearn for religious and ethnic affiliation. Yvann finally wants to visit Palestine and break the silence that has persisted for generations about the fate of his family. His friend moves to a Jewish settlement in the West Bank. Thus begins the story of a failed reunion. Reflections on the lost friendship turn into a search for identity, made infinitely more difficult by the ongoing destruction of Palestinian existence. (Daria Janke)

Introduction by Gerald Weber

Photo: Austrian Film Museum