Director Faith Akin is ahead of his time in his 2000 film Im Juli in that he successfully portrays the ideals of a cosmopolitan Europe before the European Union was in existence. His dramatic film captures the essence of cosmopolitanism and transnationalism and raises questions of Heimat and belongingness through the love story of straightedge Daniel and free-spirited Juli.
A Turkish-German himself, Akin transcends the cultural boundaries he is all too familiar with in this film and projects an idealistic, sometimes fantastical notion of a borderless Europe and a common humanity. Daniel and Juli's journey to "The Exotic South" takes them across numerous cultures, borders, languages and experiences, and encourages the viewer to adapt their perspective on the world surrounding them. Daniel and Juli's decision to stay in Turkey at the end of the film raises the idea of Heimat fluidity and whether a Heimat can change, a question a transnational director such as Akin has most likely faced himself.
The fact that Im Juli was released before the installment of the European Union and Euro is not one to be taken lightly. The culture shocks experienced by Daniel as well as the border issues they face attempting to cut across Eastern Europe evoke the question of how the European Union today has – or, controversially, hasn't – facilitated cooperation and understanding between Europeans. Many of the issues Daniel faces are still relevant today – notably, the borders of Bulgaria and Romania, which currently still exist in a "Twilight Zone" between joining the Schengen tradition of border freedom and the strict (or perhaps not strict) border control we see in many scenes.
Akin's film not only sticks to a German idea of Epic Theatre as opposed to traditional Aristotelian drama, but in fact almost satirizes the latter. While from the start of the film it may appear evocative of dramatic theatre – a short, dramatic timeline, a goal of reaching Istanbul by Friday, et cetera – by the end it quickly corrects itself. When Daniel says to continue south on their adventure rather than go back to Hamburg, he – and the viewer – learn that the journey was the destination the whole time, with eyes on the course rather than the destination. We also see that our main character is able to be changed, something unique to epic theatre – Daniel starts the movie as a rigid and rather boring man, yet at the end we see that he has become both adventurous and willing to gather new experiences, almost becoming, in many respects, similar to Juli.
All in all, Akin's film is commendable for it's usage of cosmopolitanism in a time where the idea was still foreign. His usage of Brecht's epic theatre fosters a unique film in which Daniel's journey with Juli ends up being the real ending point he needed.
A Turkish-German himself, Akin transcends the cultural boundaries he is all too familiar with in this film and projects an idealistic, sometimes fantastical notion of a borderless Europe and a common humanity. Daniel and Juli's journey to "The Exotic South" takes them across numerous cultures, borders, languages and experiences, and encourages the viewer to adapt their perspective on the world surrounding them. Daniel and Juli's decision to stay in Turkey at the end of the film raises the idea of Heimat fluidity and whether a Heimat can change, a question a transnational director such as Akin has most likely faced himself.
The fact that Im Juli was released before the installment of the European Union and Euro is not one to be taken lightly. The culture shocks experienced by Daniel as well as the border issues they face attempting to cut across Eastern Europe evoke the question of how the European Union today has – or, controversially, hasn't – facilitated cooperation and understanding between Europeans. Many of the issues Daniel faces are still relevant today – notably, the borders of Bulgaria and Romania, which currently still exist in a "Twilight Zone" between joining the Schengen tradition of border freedom and the strict (or perhaps not strict) border control we see in many scenes.
Akin's film not only sticks to a German idea of Epic Theatre as opposed to traditional Aristotelian drama, but in fact almost satirizes the latter. While from the start of the film it may appear evocative of dramatic theatre – a short, dramatic timeline, a goal of reaching Istanbul by Friday, et cetera – by the end it quickly corrects itself. When Daniel says to continue south on their adventure rather than go back to Hamburg, he – and the viewer – learn that the journey was the destination the whole time, with eyes on the course rather than the destination. We also see that our main character is able to be changed, something unique to epic theatre – Daniel starts the movie as a rigid and rather boring man, yet at the end we see that he has become both adventurous and willing to gather new experiences, almost becoming, in many respects, similar to Juli.
All in all, Akin's film is commendable for it's usage of cosmopolitanism in a time where the idea was still foreign. His usage of Brecht's epic theatre fosters a unique film in which Daniel's journey with Juli ends up being the real ending point he needed.