Ingrid Gaier: As long as people exist, there is still hope for the world

Besarta Breznica

The Austrian producer Ingrid Gaier believes in humanity resolving all the world problems. They are hopes for her, but they can turn into fear because of frustration. Preoccupied with humanity, she elaborates on different states of human beings. During the tenth edition of Anibar – International Animated Film Festival, Gaier comes with her animated movie: “You’re still there” that will be screened on Wednesday at 11:00 AM at the “Jusuf Gërvalla” Cinema in Peja. This is a movie that projects the difficulties of death, a thing that is inevitable. You can read more about Gaier’s movie in the following interview for Anibar Press.

Anibar Press: Can you tell us a bit more about your movie “You’re still
there”?

My movie is based on a poem about a Jewish
German woman and is a visualization and a combination of my old neighborhood.
The woman died in 1809 in Vienna, in an apartment that never changed. I combined
my poem with an empty apartment and her life in that space.

Anibar Press: What does this movie address?

The difficulties people have while dying and
understanding that life ends. But, also this is a positive stand that tells you
should do what you are and to stand up for what you believe. You need to build
a character with all of the opportunities that life gives you. The woman that
we are talking about also witnessed the Second World War, but she received a
bad treatment and she was filled with fear until the day she died.

Anibar Press: What message do you want to project with this movie?

The message is, I mean, the ending of the poem is “Be what you are, give what you have”. This is the fundamental message that is expressed through the movie “Noch bist du da” [German: You’re still there].

Anibar Press: Is this the first time you are visiting Kosovo?

Yes.This is my first time here and I am really enjoying it. The people are very nice and the festival is wonderful.

Anibar Press: This year’s theme is “Fear and Hope”. Can you share with us and the readers what your fears and hopes are?

My fears and hopes… that which I found at the festival was written on my invitation “we want to strengthen civil society against the political word, in a way to also encourage a civil voice” and this is wonderful. For as long as we are here to do something,
there will always be hope on Earth. My fear is that people will stop being hopeful because they are frustrated.

The film “Noch bist du da” or “You are still here” is a visualization of the poem by Rose Ausländer that encourages the students to embrace life. Mrs Pribil dies at age 86 in her apartment that is displayed in the movie; until the very end, only her husband’s last name was engraved in the door, even though she survived for many years.