„Arriving.Connected.Engaged” tells the personal stories of women who have found their home in Celle. At its heart are arriving, taking part in community life and committing to the community oneself. The central message: recognition, gratitude and the willingness to give something back.
How the project came about
A short film grew out of personal interviews with several of the women. Alongside it came photographic portraits of around twenty women, many of them in their own surroundings, where they live, work or volunteer. Each picture is accompanied by a short personal message. In this way, journeys became visible that are rarely told.
The photographs are by Roman Thomas, the film was created by the filmmaker Brittany Alaine. Photos and film interlock: the images form the visual way into the documentary.
The finale on 21 August 2026
To round things off, film and photographs were shown to the public. On 21 August 2026 from 6:00 pm at Trift 32: presentation, conversation and an open dialogue. Everyone involved wrote personal cards under the motto „This is what I would like to say thank you for”, which grew together into a „tree of appreciation”. Guests, too, were welcome to add cards.
From 7:30 pm the evening turned into a networking celebration. The women marked their personal anniversaries of arriving in Celle, and a young DJ from the city provided the music. The guiding idea of the evening: women supporting women.
What matters to us
The project makes positive examples of arriving visible and brings people of different backgrounds into conversation. Gratitude is not only felt but spoken aloud, appreciation and commitment are given a face, and encounter becomes exchange.
The project was created in cooperation with the Celle immigration agency.
