Harzerland

Synopsis

Harzerland follows two monks traversing the German monocultural desert, searching for a legendary site called the "Harzerland" (Harz region) as depicted on their most cherished historical/religious document. The short film reflects on the habit of self-mythologization in the German folksy pop music scene specifically, but also on the general trend of creating imaginary ideal "yesteryear" realities that are perceived as lost instead of maybe never having been. As the monks, stylistically based on two similar characters in Pasolini's Uccellacci e uccellini, wander around the Harz foreland, they and the viewer together realize that what's usually perceived as, in opposition to more urbanized areas, a more natural environment actually is a fully commercially developed, manmade landscape.