I CAUGHT FISH ALIVE

The story unfolds on New Year's Eve in Berlin, in the noisy Turkish district Neukölln. In a small fish store, a confused woman who does not speak German buys a live fish. After leaving the store, she walks like a ghost past people having fun and hurrying to their friends. Snow begins to fall and draws her attention. But it becomes clear this is artificial snow sprayed from the balcony. After returning home, she starts cooking. Her empty apartment has only a few household items. She raises the knife to the fish's head. But she does not dare to cut it off. Explosions are heard outside the window and the glow of New Year's fireworks spreads behind it. Her body shudders with each explosion. From her reaction, it becomes clear that the same sounds pulled her out of her past life. She falls on the bed and falls asleep, covering her head with a blanket, trying to drown out these sounds. She is having a dream. Watery, dark, thick weightlessness. She does not see herself as a fish. But she feels like it. A noise from the kitchen jolts her out of her sleep. The fish splashes in the sink. The woman is exhausted. She goes to the kitchen, gets dressed, and leaves the apartment. A deserted lake is bathing in morning blue light. The woman takes the live fish and sets it free. Then she starts undressing. She goes into the lake, takes courage, and dives. She jumps out screaming, starts splashing like a child. Then, for a few seconds, she lies down on the water surface, inhaling with her full chest. She comes out of the water, steam coming from her body, and signs of life appear on her face. Returning home by subway, she observes the life of the morning city. A man sits down opposite her, listening to loud rhythmic music. They listen silently, dancing along, and experiencing life in such a simple moment, which for her feels like a rebirth. In the lake pierced by the sun's rays swims the fish released by the woman. Yet it is not alone anymore, there are more and more fish.