The Homes We Carry

The documentary THE HOMES WE CARRY paints the portrait of a family torn apart by the turmoil of world history between Germany, Mozambique and South Africa. In THE HOMES WE CARRY, Eulidio, a Mozambican GDR (East-German) contract worker tells his story. His life and work story is marked by exploitation and unfair conditions in a post-colonial world. Today, Eulidio lives in South Africa far below the subsistence level. We as a film team want to support him as he has supported us and made thousands of spectators learn about Afro-German history.

As a thank you for a donation of 30 € or more, you can watch the film, which portrays Eulidio and his daughter Sarah. The film is not only about a failed socialist pact between Mozambique and the GDR, but also about an Afro-German family and identity - about love at a distance. (www.the www.thehomeswecarry.com)

Text brenda@jorde.de to get a screener, after your 30€ donation.

The film is accessible with German Voice Over here as well https://www.ardmediathek.de/vi... 

Eulidio's background

Eulidio was a contract worker in the GDR (East Germany) for several years. He worked hard in the nuclear power plant in Lubmin. After the German reunification, he was forced to leave Germany. He was expecting a big part of his salary in Mozambique, but the Mozambican government withheld a large part of his wages. Germany did not support the contract workers to get their righteous money. The contract workers are still fighting for the payment of their wages from the GDR. More information about the 20,000 contract workers fighting for their wages can be found here https://vertragsarbeit-mosambik-ddr.de .

When Eulidio returned to Mozambique discrimination started. Like many other Mozambicans who had worked in Germany, Eulidio, too,  could not find work. Potential employers and even friends and family felt a lot of skepticism and envy towards the people who had worked and learned in Germany. They came with new clothes and technology to a country shattered by civil war. Like many other former contract workers, he emigrated to South Africa to work in a gold mine. He worked there for over 10 years. But here, too, his working hours ended with unpaid paychecks when the mine went bankrupt.

After the mine went down, Eulidio worked in a variety of jobs: As a truck driver, in a bakery and then in a snack bar.

Nowadays Eulidio finds himself unemployed. The only job he sees himself doing is the one of a driver as all other jobs that include standing hurt his back too much. Since moths he is trying to find a job, but for now he needs our support for the next months.

Eulidio's project - Where the money goes

He needs to pay rent and food. Donations would also help to pay for doctor's visits that Eulidio has been putting off for a long time because he cannot afford them. He is also separated from his Mozambican family and wishes to visit them for Christmas.

Directors statement

We got to know Eulidio as an extremely warm person during the shooting. He supported different families as much as he could - both financially and with fatherly advice, favors and love. In particular, he had adopted a young girl as a daughter, because her mother could not take care of her. Eulidio told us his life story, introduced us to the family and made us feel very welcome. He became the voice of the film narrating a part of German-Mozambican history that has been forgotten and oppressed. During the shooting in 2019/2021 we supported Eulidio financially as the budget of our film allowed it.

Hundreds of people have seen the film since it premiered in Leipzig in 2022. We would love that Eulidio can somehow profit from the film being made. As a film team we decided to donate as soon as we get a cash price at a festival, but it has not happened yet. Festivals generally invite and pay for travel and accommodation, nothing more. We appreciate every help. Everything we get at share doc will be sent to Eulidio via Western Union.

Thank you!

selected Screenings at 

Dok Leipzig, 2022 (Leipzig, Germany)

Films des Femmes, 2023 (Créteil, France)

Achtung Berlin, 2023 (Berlin, Germany)

Sehsüchte, 2023 (Potsdam, Germany)

Bolzano Film Festival Bozen, 2023 (Bolzano, Italy) 

Hot Docs, 2023 (Toronto, Canada)

Freiburger Filmtage, 2023 (Freiburg, Germany) 

Afrykamera, 2023 (Warsaw, Poland)

Beirut International Women Film Festival, 2024 (Libanon)

African Film Festival, 2024 (New York, USA)

... and many more...