Mikel

Mikel is a self-confident young man who, after a long journey fleeing from Nigeria, is hoping to finally be able to live a dignified life. At the moment he's living in the shadows as an illegal labourer for Norbert's painting and decorating company. Norbert is in a great position: the city is being privatised and housing is becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. There are long queues of hopeful newcomers to Berlin and speculative buyers. Business is booming. Mikel and his colleague Jonathan are the essential but preferably invisible hinges in this system. Norbert once promised Mikel a residence permit and a fair wage. But that was long ago. Mikel has long since realised that he's worth much more to his employer than vice versa. But he's also well aware of his own dilemma: without this job he'd be lost, but at the same time it will never get him where he wants to be. And so he finds himself stuck, a nomad in permanent transit who, in the end, writes a postcard home. (Berlinale)