Drifting

A dust-filled city is cleansed of its identity and memories as it becomes estranged from its own skies and sea. Meanwhile, the distant “silhouettes” on the construction sites become characters in their own right: characters who, in their dorms at night, give voice to their longing for home, anxieties about the future and sense of physical exhaustion at such a young age. In this giant construction site of a city, we get to know Ferhat, a teacher from Mardin who can’t get a job, and his cousin Emrah, who aspires to become a teacher. Both of their fathers and grandfathers were construction workers. The two young men are tired of the tough working conditions, the low wages, and of constantly worrying about the future. For them, there is only one way out of this vicious cycle: to follow the example of their brothers and other family members, go to Algeria and earn dollars on the construction sites.

Somnur Vardar
Since studying English Language and Literature and media, Vardar has led workshops on documentary film and oral history for various universities and NGOs. She currently works as a documentary maker and editor.