In many cities across Europe, there is a familiar sight of longstanding housing estates being gutted to make way for more expensive builds. Felix Hergert and Dominik Zietlow’s heartfelt film focuses on one such complex, the vibrant Brunaupark in Zurich. Consisting of five residential tenements, the area is home to more than 400 tenants, who have created a close-knit multicultural community over the decades. Credit Suisse, whose pension fund owns the building, has other ideas. The people of Brunaupark are served with notices as proposals for partial demolition and new construction get under way.
Going from door to door, this documentary forms a vital piece of oral history, bearing witness to the defiance and resilience of those determined to stay. Each story is filled with colourful memories: one restaurant owner, who has been forced to give up his establishment in the complex, recalls the array of regulars he used to serve, people who came from all over the world. Others have built their families there. In one touching sequence, a woman pores over old home videos on her laptop. The camera pans from images of her son, then a little boy, to the young adult he has become. It’s a moment that encapsulates the beautiful history this place holds.
As more tenants are replaced by short-term renters, life is gradually drained out of the area. The camera lingers on groups of children and teenagers, gathering in the communal garden for games, chitchat or to simply while away the boredom of summer breaks. With the future of Brunaupark in limbo, it’s sad to think that these youngsters would lose not only friendships, but also a haven to call their own.
