Filmdienst | Germany 2018
The essayistic documentary examines the ancient desert city of Palmyra and Europe’s ambivalent relationship to this place. While the city is famous worldwide for its architectural ruins, interest in the lives of the local population has remained slight.
The film is based on travel footage from 2008 and uses it as the starting point for culture-critical self-reflection from a Western perspective. It addresses the contradiction between touristic enthusiasm for the ancient buildings and indifference toward the underdeveloped region and toward the oppression of its inhabitants under various regimes.
Germany 2018 | Director: Hans Puttnies | 98 minutes | FSK: 16+ | Theatrical release: September 6, 2018