MACONDO

Austria, 2014, 98 minutes, Colour.
Ramasan Minkailov, Aslan Elbiev, Kheda Gazieva.
Directed by Sudabeh Mortezai.

Macondo is an impressive and often moving film. It is set in the Simmering district of Vienna, near the airport, the motorway and the river, Danube. Within it is the district of Macondol, with 3000 inhabitants from 22 different countries. The characters in this film are from Chechnya, war refugees, and from Somalia.

The documentary director Sudabah Mortezai (Children of the Prophet) moved into the district and had auditions for the central role, opting for amateurs rather than professional actors. 11 year old Ramasan Minkailov is completely credible in the central role of the boy who has to support his mother, idolises his father killed in the war, having to care for his two rowdy sisters.

One of the problems for the refugees is that the authorities advise that they should have evidence of the father’s death so that they can receive benefits from the state. There is no death certificate. Another difficulty is that Ramasan gets involved with some of the rougher boys in the district, going out at night, entering into a construction site, being pursued by the police.

Yet, Ramasan is a fine boy, if only he had the support and the opportunities. These come with a man who claims to have been a friend of his father, bringing the father’s watch for Ramasan. At first he is like a father-figure to the boy, but the boy is still wary and becomes more alienated from the man. When Ramasan is caught by the police and interrogated, the man offers an alibi but Ramasan turns on him and calls him a liar.

In a final interview, a supervisor approves the state of the apartment, is satisfied with the family’s behaviour and it seems they will be allowed to stay. After this, Ramasan goes to the man’s house but is ignored. He later returns again while the man is fixing the radio and he begins to help him… Good ending to the film, a happy ending, but not emphasising or over-emphasising it.

The film offers interesting insights into the plight of refugees, difficulties with authorities, the pressures on them to conform so that they will be able to stay in a country.

1. The title, the district of Vienna, the confined population, apartments, parks, school, stores? Realism?

2. The district, the refugees from Chechnya, from Somalia? Coexistence? Peaceful, some racism?

3. The authorities, asylum hearings, interviews, the need for strong evidence for an acceptance? The mother and Ramasan going to the interview? No death certificate? The supervisor, discussions about Ramasan’s discipline, the inspection of the house?

4. The background of the war in Chechnya, the Russians, the revolution, deaths? Refugees? The post-war situation, the mother phoning her family?

5. Ramasan at 11, the boy’s performance, the shrine to the father in the house, the sword in the photos? Ramasan not having any memories? His love for his mother, work at home, the burning saucepan, consulted his mother? The young sisters, their always fooling around? At the supermarket? A blend of the serious, playful? The Somali boy – and the racist comments? The friends, playing football, getting into mischief? his prospects?

6. Asi, the visit, his bringing the photo, the father’s watch? Ramasan’s response? The issue of the werewolves in the woods, getting the sofa, Asi pointing out the fear of werewolves when the family was escaping? Asi and his ability to fix things? The hairdryer? Talking with Asi? A possible father-figure? And the failure?

7. The watch, Ramasan wanting to get it fixed, the cost of the battery, tempted to steal the battery? His later stealing the tools, in the sister’s backpack? His being apprehended, the interview with the supervisor?

8. The community, the dancing, Asi and his mother?

9. The attack on Asi, saying that he was not his father?

10. The mischief at night, the boys being caught, the owner of the construction site, the policewoman? Asi intervening, giving Ramasan and other by? Ramasan’s look, denying it? Asi being taken?

11. Ramasan, his moods, his rage? At school, friendship with the Somali boy, their drawings? Football? The inspector coming to the house, everything in order, the possibilities for staying?

12. Ramasan and his going to Asi, Asi shutting the door? The reason for Ramasan’s behaviour, jealousy, preserving his father’s memory? Seeing Asi as an inadequate father-figure?

13. Going to Asi’s house again, Asi fixing the radio, Ramasan helping him? An appropriate ending? What was the audience left with? The future of Ramasan, Asi, his mother?