I recently photographed the Migrant Advisory Board conference in Graz. Alexander Pollak gave a powerful talk about the “democracy deficit.” He spoke about people who live here but are excluded from voting.
It is a tough reality. Even people born in this country are often left without a political voice. This exclusion is not just a legal issue, it is deeply emotional.
While taking photos, I realized: this would make an incredible short film. It’s a topic that hits home. It’s about the feeling of belonging vs. the reality of being “invisible” on paper.
This also connects perfectly to my Master’s thesis. I’m researching how films use “narrative deception” to make viewers feel what a character feels.
Imagine a film where you think a character is a full part of society, until a single moment reveals they are structurally excluded. It’s a powerful way to use character identification to show the truth of this injustice.
