Collective Videowork on creative representations of witnessing
REFLECT TO CONNECT – Weimar 2025
** English below
“What I witnessed from the witness…” ist eine 30-minütige Videocollage, die auf Interviews mit Menschen basiert, die totalitäre Regime erlebt haben oder von politischer Repression betroffen sind. Die einzelnen Videoclips wurden von jungen Menschen aus Belarus, Italien und Deutschland im Rahmen des Bildungsprojekts „Reflect to connect“ 2025 umgesetzt. Dabei spiegeln sie unterschiedliche Perspektiven auf das Thema Freiheitsentzug wider. Um noch Betroffene von politischer Verfolgung zu schützen und auch um Traumasensibel zu arbeiten, wurde auf einen klassischen dokumentarischen Ansatz verzichtet und daher alternative künstlerische Übersetzungen in Form von Video, Found Footage und kreativem Scheiben gefunden.
Ein Film von: Alice, Tim Gassauer, Iva Shkoda, Valeria Milea, Leni Schmiedel, Anastasiya Nikishova und drei weitere anonyme Teilnehmende.
Konzept und Schnitt: Hannah Doepke
Gefördert durch die Stiftung EVZ – Erinnerung, Verantwortung und Zukunft
„One of the most powerful activities in the program was the workshop “What I Witnessed from the Witness.” Through art-based practices, participants shared the stories of witnesses of dictatorships and people who had experienced repression. Some dared to share their own stories, while others shared accounts from books and memoirs. Some spoke directly on camera, while others used shadows and abstract imagery.
The trainer did an incredible job, consulting with colleagues and experts to ensure the workshop was safe for participants and would not retraumatize anyone. Participation in this workshop was voluntary, but the entire Belarusian group got involved.
The screening of the finished videos was, for me, perhaps one of the most emotional moments of the entire program: some people cried, some couldn’t watch the whole video and left the room. Yet the stories were expressed and heard — giving an important sense that emotions and experiences were acknowledged and valued. The workshop was deeply therapeutic.“
– Quote from the initiator of Reflect to connect 2025. View whole interview here
**English Version
“What I witnessed from the witness…” is based on interviews with people who have experienced totalitarian regimes or that have been affected by political repression.
The captured images and texts are put together to transport the feeling that good stuck after talking to the eye witness or sensing into their own story – by finding artistic translations to represent their testimony. Not only as means of expression but also to make sure to not put people at risk that are affected by (trans-)national repression.
Because some interviewees or creators are still at risk of political persecution the strategy of this project was to find artistic representations / translations for these testimonies in the form of video, photographs, found footage and creative writing.
A video by: Alice, Tim Gassauer, Iva Shkoda, Valeria Milea, Leni Schmiedel, Alice, Anastasiya Nikishova, Amalja Witarzniec and three further contributors that stay anonymous.
Concept and editing: Hannah Doepke
The video was presented in November 2025 at the group show „Last Minute“ at Kabinett of Zentralwerk e.V. Dresden and available to be booked for screenings and exhibitions
