Das Rotohr / Red Ears

Directors Note

Chonko Nopp - Red Ears: These were the first words of Wolof that I learned in Senegal. An expression to describe white people because ‘their ears turn red under the African sun.’ In the documentary ‘Das Rotohr’ I reflect on my one year civil service I did in Thiès/ Senegal in 2010. The film is based on hours of immediate video observations during my stay in Senegal and a present-day interview with a Senegalese woman who I met at the time. Memories of my work in a local hospital and my encounters with the German NGO are completed with animated scenes throughout the film. My mixed personal experiences as a young person over a decade ago are contrasted with reflections on Western development aid. As many young school-leavers in Germany I wanted to make a difference by helping the poor in the ‘Global South’. Yet, my ideals were altered by reality. I made this film to question our Western perspective on development aid in African countries.