This short film is a political and personal inquiry into themes of separation, integration and loss explored through the ritualised structure of the morning circle, a practice first introduced by Friedrich Fröbel. Set in Berlin, the film follows an Armenian character, born and raised in Lebanon, as he navigates everyday interactions that shift fluidly from an uncomfortable conversation with a stranger, to a playground with his son, to a kindergarten where the complexities of separation and assimilation converge in an unsettling climax. Morgenkreis draws a parallel between the separation anxiety of early childhood and the disorientation experienced by migrants arriving in Europe. It also addresses questions around state intervention, assimilation and belonging in an era of rising racism, Islamophobia and the increasing suppression of certain voices.
Basma al-Sharif is a Palestinian artist and filmmaker based in Berlin.
