13 years after his civil service in a hospital in Thiès, Senegal, Paul challanges his memories and traumas. With old video footage, interviews and animations he questions his role as a volunteer within the German system of development aid.

Directed by: Paul Drey

Written by: Christoph Hans, Paul Drey

Produced by: Max Breuer, Nils Gustenhofen

Cinematography: Markus Ott, Paul Drey

Editing: Christoph Hans

Animation: Shadab Shayegan, Paul Drey

Sound: Vincent Egerter, Lukas Reiter

Original Score: Clemens Gutjahr

Cast: Madeleine Ndione, Sophia Drey

Original Title: DAS ROTOHR

Film Production Country: Germany

Website: pauldrey.com

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/pauldreyyy/

Statement of the Director/s
'Xonko 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 RED EARS I reflect on my one year of civil service 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 whom I met at the time. Memories of my work in a local hospital and my encounters with the German NGO are highlighted 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. Like many young school-leavers in Germany, I wanted to make a difference by helping the poor in the 'Global South'. Yet, my ideals were wrecked by reality. I made this film to question our Western perspective on African countries, as even today, foreign aid and multi-million donations are regarded as useful and altruistic tools to fight poverty. The documentary RED EARS challenges this paradigm by means of a personal narrative.

Biography of the Director/s
After graduating from school in Cologne, Paul Drey (*1989) undertook a one-year civil service in Thiès/Senegal. He then studied 'European Studies' at Maastricht University with an Erasmus semester in Izmir/Turkey. He quits his master studies 'international relations' in Brussels to apply at film schools. Since 2017 he has been studying directing/documentarty at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg. He will graduate in 2024.

Filmography of the Director/s
2019 - WHEN THE MONKEY COMES AROUND
2018 - A NO-GO T-SHIRT
2015 - ALIOUNE: IN A PIROQUE FROM SENEGAL TO SPAIN

Production Company:
Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Thorsten Schütte
Phone: +49714196982285
Website: https://www.filmakademie.de/de/studium/studienangebote/filmproduktion-studieren/content-development/informationen/

World Sales:
Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Sigrid Gairing
Phone: +49714196982193
Website: https://www.filmakademie.de/de/aktuelles-projekte/projekt-datenbank/kontakt/

Press:
Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Fenja Schnizer
Phone: +49714196982188
Website: https://www.filmakademie.de/de/aktuelles-projekte/presse-kontakt/filmakademie/https://www.filmakademie.de/de/aktuelles-projekte/presse-kontakt/filmakademie/