IIFF Winner York-Fabian on African Immigration: “The Sacrifice Is Bigger Than What They Gain”
Borga narrates the African immigrant experience that relates to many who’ve left their countries in search of pastures new only to be slapped with the harsh reality of life away from home. The fantasy of living large is widely painted in our minds, unbeknownst to us, that some engage in dangerous activities or live a lie to prove to others they’ve made it.
In the film, Kojo, played by Ghanaian-German actor Eugene Boateng, moves to Germany hoping to be as successful. He finds his uncle, whom he has seen posing in front of posh cars and a mansion, and wants to have a similar lifestyle. However, he realizes that he’s engaging in dubious activities and ends up in the same circumstances.
Back home, many admire him. This discrepancy is what drives the film Borga and one that German film director York-Fabian Raabe speaks about.
“I don’t have a problem with people going to other countries to try to have a better life. People should have that freedom. But, there are a lot of misunderstandings, which is why people think that once they get to the other side, they’ll have a perfect life, but that’s not always the case,” said Raabe.
“I’ve met a lot of people in different countries who went in search of a better life, but when they arrived, they realized that what they were told isn’t always true. These people leave their families at home and sometimes, the sacrifice they make is much bigger than what they gain afterwards,” he continued.
A Fight for Dignity and Respect
One of the supporting actors in the film, Prince Kuhklmann, described Borga as a fight for dignity and respect. This is something that York-Fabian was keen on and achieved by letting his cast tell the story as opposed to having them do what he thought should be done.
“When we filmed in Ghana, all the heads of the departments were black people and for them, it was a surprise because normally, in other professional sets, they’ve been in, the British or Americans occupy those roles and they work as assistants. We wanted to make an authentic film, so we needed their input.”
Also, he was cognizant of the victimhood narrative that a majority of Western media outlets are fond of. To combat that, he focused on the strengths, passion and vibrance of the people, allowing them to “take over” the film and express themselves.
“We wanted to have characters who begin from the lowest place possible and can become great, but then find out that family is the most important thing. The last thing we wanted is to have pitiful characters and carry on the victimhood narrative.”
Also, the German film director didn’t just parachute into Ghana, filming what he liked. He collaborated with the officials and local people. For him, this is about respecting the citizen of the country, adjusting to their culture and allowing them to participate in the process.
Behind the Scene
Borga is a culmination of two other films — Between Heaven & Earth and The Children of Sodom. These were inspired by a news report York-Fabian came across about a man found dead in the landing gear of a plane. To him, it signified the lengths some are willing to take in search of a better life.
“I read that article and I thought it was surreal that people would go to such lengths, but it also demonstrates a wish to change their life. From there, I worked on other films, but this was the beginning of everything.”
From there, he spent five years working on the script and then went to Accra, Ghana to film. Some of the scenes were shot at Agbogbloshie, which used to be one of the country’s biggest foreign dump sites until it was brought down in 2021.
The film captures the imagination and has received several awards. Among them is the International Images Film Festival for Women in Harare (IIFF) where York-Fabian Raabe won the New Man Award, something he appreciates.
Read our full interview with York-Fabian Raabe here.
The International Images Film Festival for Women entered its 20th edition in 2023. It’s organized by ICAPA Trust and held in Harare, Zimbabwe, every year. The event focuses on telling women’s stories and the development of female filmmakers.
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