Import-Export

The story spans eastern Ukraine and Vienna, highlighting the pull of migration and the complexities of cross-border work. It travels through a Ukrainian home, a wealthy Viennese household, and a geriatric hospital, with scenes in Košice and Uzhhorod that underscore the cross-border realities of the characters. The varied settings reflect how place shapes opportunity, danger, and daily survival.

🚶‍♀️ Migration

Migration drives the plot as Olga and Pauli pursue better futures across borders. The journey exposes both vulnerability and resilience, as people navigate unfamiliar systems, languages, and social norms. Movement tests family ties, loyalty, and the meaning of home in a precarious economic landscape.

💰 Economic Precarity

Financial insecurity pushes characters toward risky or morally ambiguous paths. Olga supplements her income through sex work to support her child, while Pauli's debt and precarious jobs push him toward unstable opportunities abroad. The film foregrounds how poverty shapes choices and risk.

🕊️ Survival

Survival threads through each decision, shaping relationships and the pursuit of security. Characters form fragile bonds that can offer support or become liabilities in an environment with limited safety nets. The narrative emphasizes resilience amid isolation and uncertainty.

🧭 Identity & Belonging

The pursuit of citizenship and belonging runs alongside personal ambition. Olga's marriage plan to secure Austrian citizenship and Pauli's uncertain future path probe what home means when borders and status dictate access to opportunity. Identity becomes tied to legal status, work, and the places one can call home.