The inspiration behind Border Control was a high-profile exercise that the Austrian government held at the Slovenian border in the summer of 2018. Hundreds of

highly equipped officers and soldiers of the new police border patrol unit “Puma” rehearsed measures to combat mass border crossings – surrounded by numerous journalists and television cameras – The protection of the European external border comes across as theatrical performance and display of defence force, as training session and workout.

From the archive of these and other media 'role models' related to border protection and the so-called refugee crisis, from training videos for private and state security

forces and mercenaries, from computer games, bootcamp documentaries, fitness videos, 'Men's Health' footage, etc., created during the research for the work, feed

the scenes that a group of dancers physically appropriates and at the same time performs, performatively transforms and reinterprets.

A hybrid space between office, low-cost airport back office, training room for police, private security forces, or self-appointed vigilantes, an abandoned (media) warehouse and reception center for asylum seekers, interspersed with offsets of our increasing online shopping and delivery culture and their operating companies

forms the sureal dream-like condensed 'stage' for this transdisciplinary collaboration.

Written, Produced and Directed by Stefan Panhans and Andrea Winkler
Director of Photography: Lilli Thalgott
Second Camera: Florian Winkler
Set Design, Costume and Props: Stefan Panhans and Andrea Winkler
Choreography, Performing: Ursina Tossi EXCESSIVE SHOWING Ensemble
Camilla Brogaard, Rachell Bo Clark, Julia B. Laperrière, Leah Marojević, Amanda Romero, Ursina Tossi
Editing: Lilli Thalgott
Original Score, Sounddesign: Thies Mynther
“Border Control”, “Da ist ein Boot”, Music and Lyrics: Thies Mynther
Set Assistance: Anna Ruthenberg
Postproduction, Colorgrading: Wolfgang Oelze

Funded by Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein
Kindly supported by HMKV Hartware MedienKunstVerein, Dortmund

Viewing Link and more information:

https://vimeo.com/547075328

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