Hope. How can one feel hope given the current political situation? Global tensions and political violence leave little room for it. And yet it is there, constantly taking on new forms. It sparkles in words and gestures, inspiring our shared pursuit of a better future. Can it be captured and described?
 
A group of young BIPOC adults gathered at Ballhaus Naunynstraße to explore, from their own perspectives and as people living in Germany, images and narratives of hope as an attitude, a fleeting moment, and a enduring force. Together with filmmakers DeLovie Kwagala (aka Papa De) and Gabriel B. Arrahnio as mentors, they developed their own short films, the Kiez-Monatsschau: Raising Hope.
Hope is fluid and ever-changing, both individually and collectively. The terms used to describe it vary depending on culture, language, and style of expression, as do the images and meanings associated with it. So how can this be documented? How can the idea of hope be captured on film without overlooking the resilience, losses, and fears with which it is inextricably linked? And how can we capture the joys and energy associated with it without romanticizing the concept as a whole? To find out, the participants surveyed family members, friends, communities, and role models. Because one thing is clear: hope is a delicate balancing act.
 
Kiez-Monatsschau is a film and video project of the akademie der autodidakten. It arose from the need to counter the stereotypical portrayals in mainstream media: It is a platform for BIPOC youth and young adults to artistically reflect on their experiences and the issues that matter to them, to create self-determined images through film, and to present them to the public.