# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Wordwall - Create better lessons quicker

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Match up - Drag and drop each keyword next to its definition.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
FUNNIEST Kid Comedians on Got Talent Will Make You LOL🤣

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Daily Routines | Present Simple for kids| English Grammar

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
COUNTRIES of the World for Kids - Learn Continents, Countries Map, Names and Flags

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
100 Opposite Words | Antonyms In English | Opposites with Examples | English Vocabulary!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
18 Tricky Riddles That'll Stretch Your Brain

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
I Spy with my little eye... Listen to the letter and find the object. (Word Game for Kids)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
100 Common Daily Use English Sentences | Fun Learning Question Answers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
100 Daily Routine English Sentences | First Words for Babies | English Vocabulary for Beginners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
15 FUN FACTS ABOUT SCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
17 Best Places to Visit in Istanbul 2026 - Best Things to do in Istanbul Turkey

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Exploring Turkey’s ancient underground city - BBC News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cappadocia’s Fairy Chimneys | Europe From Above S2 | National Geographic UK

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mum has the consent chat with her daughter | My Family - BBC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dating chat with your dad gone WRONG 🫣 | My Family - BBC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Keeping Up Appearances Best of Series 1 | BBC Comedy Greats

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How To Make Your Brain To Think in English| Improve Your English Speaking |English Speaking Practice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learn English with THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA — Meryl Streep & Anne Hathaway

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How humanity got hooked on coffee - Jonathan Morris

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Accidental Majesty of Coffee || Graded Reader || Improve Your English Fluency ✅️

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The WORST possible outcome when you're fighting with a neighbour 😱 | My Family - BBC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Nick's new motorbike act goes drastically wrong 😬 | My Family - BBC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
When your mum and dad visit your first flat 😂😬 | My Family - BBC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why Finland And Denmark Are Happier Than The U.S.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Great Pacific Garbage Patch - Ocean Pollution Awareness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Frank Abagnale Stuns Everyone With Stories of Being a Con Man | Carson Tonight Show

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Teenager who Faked being a Pilot,  a Doctor and a Lawyer

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lost in the Amazon Jungle for 3 weeks - Shocking Survival Story (1981)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Surviving three weeks lost in the Amazon! Yossi Ghinsberg

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Headway video - Intermediate - Reports,  Episode 1. The Seven Wonders of Britain

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Story Of The Mexican Fisherman - life motivation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Imposter Frédéric Bourdin Assumed The Identity Of Missing Child Nicholas Barclay

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Frederic Bourdin has led a life of deception since his troubled childhood, changing his identity more than 500 times.

His most infamous deception resulted in him serving six years in a US prison after convincing a Texan family he was their missing son.

Bourdin, whose story is the subject of the recent film 'The Imposter', discussed his unconventional life with the BBC.
Produced by Laura Plitt & Natalia Pianzola for BBC Mundo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'Human chameleon' on his life of deception

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Frederic Bourdin talks to the BBC about why he has changed his identity over 500 times throughout the course of his unusual life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Beauty and the Beast Full Movie - Fairy Tales  With English Subtitles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Secret To Success - an eye opening story

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness | Robert Waldinger | TED

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
I took a ride in Waymo’s fully driverless car

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The AI Future is Now! Artificial Intelligence-Driven Cars Are Here

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mountaineer Simon Yates on Weekend Today | World Expeditions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This is the amazing story of a German woman who fell in love with a Masai man in Tanzania, and decided to stay on in his village and live her life with him. With this beatiful interview, Stephanie opens a door for us on a way of life we know very little about, and shares her feelings and challenges but mostly her love for the man she has married, and the beautiful land he comes from. Thank you Stephanie, from the bottom of our hearts.

Stephanie, can you tell us a bit about you: where you were born and what is your background of studies and work?

I was born in Frankfurt, Germany in June 1986, raised by a single Mum who had come to Germany from France when she was only 19 years old. Incidentally I also moved away from home when I was just 19. I went traveling around Australia and then went to England to study Biology and Conservation at Bath Spa University. During that period I spent two months in Zimbabwe to do research for my dissertation on human-animal conflict. It was at that time that I fell in love with Africa and promised myself I would be back soon. After graduation I came to Tanzania as a volunteer for a London based Conservation NGO. I worked for a year close to the Selous Game Reserve where we focused on establishing migration corridors for large mammals. Then I moved to Mafia Island, south of the famous Zanzibar, still working for the same organization and now working in a Marine Protected Area doing fish censuses. It was there where I met my husband 😊

You have done something which is not very common: you have married a Masai and moved to live in his country. Can you share how this all happened? Where did you meet him, and when did you decide to join lives and to live with him?

I met my husband Sokoine while working on Mafia Island. We lived in a small village inside the Marine Park and Sokoine worked as security for a dive centre. I met him on my first day on the island while strolling through the village and I was taken by him straight away. It was his eyes that attracted me - I remember that as if it was yesterday. I spoke a little Swahili then and tried to keep him there on the road where I had bumped into him and some friends. But during the first weeks, Sokoine and the other Masai were reserved towards us, friendly and always smiling, but preferred to stay by themselves. There was one day however when a friend of mine, a local, told me that Sokoine liked me. I, of course was overwhelmed and could not believe it! Someone so beautiful and exotic, likes me?! That day, Sokoine and I talked properly, openly for the first time and things went from there. A week later, we got together but by that time, I had only 3 weeks left on my contract. I knew I had to leave, but I did not want to. I had known even before I met Sokoine that I wanted to stay in Tanzania. So I planned to go to Dar es Salaam and look for a job. At the same time, I knew that I wanted to stay with Sokoine. He was also leaving Mafia to go home, on his annual leave.

I fell in love with their culture and the way they lived their lives, close to nature and their animals.

We made plans to meet up when he was in Dar and then at some point I would visit him at his home to meet his family. I did so a couple of months after leaving Mafia, in May 2011. And in June, because I did not want us to be apart, I went back to Mafia Island with Sokoine, where he had to continue working to support his family. I was very lucky to get my old job back. We lived together like this on beautiful Mafia Island, for 5 months and then I had to go home to Germany for a while. In January 2012 I came back and it was then that Sokoine and I decided to move to his family's home in the Masai Steppe. I would support his family and we would live a traditional Masai life, living off the land and off our cattle 😊.

How did people around you (family, friends...) reacted when you decided to go and live with the love of your life?

What was left of my family at that point (my brother and my sister) were not very enthusiastic about it at first. They were a bit worried, I think. They had both never met Sokoine and never been to Africa and had some misconceptions about it. My close friends from England and Germany were a bit more open about it and one actually came out for our traditional Masai wedding in April 2012. Today, though, all my friends and family love the way I live my life and all of those who have been to visit me here are so humbled by the kindness and generosity of the Masai that they support us in any way possible and often come back more than once.

How did it feel at the beginning? Main challenges and biggest sources of happiness? How did you integrate in such a different culture from the Western one where you come from?

It was difficult at first finding my feet living with his family. I did not know the language and they only speak basic Swahili. There are so many aspects and customs to the Masai culture and some of them were difficult to get used to. Like bowing your head when greeting older people when you have to guess everyone's age and never being able to be alone with your husband who, as a warrior, is not allowed to eat without other warriors. I often felt lonely and misunderstood. I felt insecure in our relationship because of the strain adapting to Masai life was putting on my happiness. There were many tears, but I was determined to make it and told Sokoine so when he asked me if I will be happy here. He was amazing. He guided, encouraged and supported me, often leaving his traditions behind for the sake of my well being.

...honestly, if there ever was a time when I missed something, I cannot remember.

Often he was stern with me, telling me to get a grip, but I realise now that I would not have made it, if it had not been for the way he guided me through it. What kept me sane was his lovely family. I fell in love with their culture and the way they lived their lives, close to nature and their animals. They were so welcoming and tolerant towards me. Taking me in with no questions asked. They put Masai jewellery on me and dressed me in their clothes. I think they were trying to turn me into one of them right from the start. They made sure they provided me with all the basic comforts they could give me, like hot water for showering, extra blankets to cushion their hard beds, cooking for me, taking me on walks. Basically looking after me as well as you would after a small child. Well I guess, I was a small child to their world and they really tried their hardest to make the transition easier for me.

Is there anything you miss from your home country and anything you find really hard in living in Tanzania?

I think this is one of the most common questions people ask me about my life here. And honestly, if there ever was a time when I missed something, I cannot remember. I do remember though feeling awkward during my first few months in Tanzania. It is just that wherever you go, the attention is on you - you are white, you stick out and people call you 'Mzungu', the term they use for foreigners here. At first you think they are being offensive, but they really are not. They are just curious and especially in rural Africa, the sight of a white person is so rare, that it makes for a big event. I used to not like it sometimes, but as with so many other things you get used to it. And when you respond with a smile - you get a smile back! Here in my Masai home, the lack of electricity, running water and other First World luxuries does not bother me. I have everything I need. Sometimes, when I am not well, especially when I have malaria (I have had it now five or six times) I do fancy pizza and a nice cold glass of fruit juice, but when I am healthy, I am fine with just eating rice and vegetables every day.

I am living each day the way I want to live it, doing what I feel like doing.

The thing is, here in Africa, even out here in the middle of nowhere, you can get most things that you find in the Western world too - you just have to go a little further and work a little harder to get it. I have a solar panel providing me with electricity, we have a rain water tank providing us with water. We have a village nearby where I can buy vegetables and even fruit. You walk for one hour to get there, but that is good for you. And if you do not feel like walking you get a motorbike taxi. We have our own, so it makes everything a lot easier. Sometimes I miss my friends and family or miss sitting in a garden on a warm European summer's day drinking a cold glass of wine, but most days I am just happy and grateful to be where I am. I am living each day the way I want to live it, doing what I feel like doing. I have no stress, no bills to pay, no job to get to at 8 in the morning. I wake up everyday surrounded by nature, by the laughter of children and the noises of our animals. I am free to roam wherever I feel like going. I get on really well with my mother-in-law whose kindness and wisdom have made her one of my best friends.

It is these challenges that really have made me love Africa, because it has the capacity to just slap you in the face and tell you 'No, it is not that easy, I will make you work for this.' It opens your eyes and teaches you to not take things for granted, to stop being so spoilt.

What bothers me sometimes is the difficulties getting from one place to the other during the rainy season. To get to our village, you have to navigate a 100 km stretch of dirt road, which turns to mud during the rains and there have been many times when we abandoned the bus and started walking and did not get home till late at night. But these are the adventures that make you stronger, that lift your spirit and keep you on your toes, both mentally and physically. It is these challenges that really have made me love Africa, because it has the capacity to just slap you in the face and tell you 'No, it is not that easy, I will make you work for this.' It opens your eyes and teaches you to not take things for granted, to stop being so spoilt.

What are the biggest cultural challenges in relating to your husband and his family?

There used to be many things that bothered me or even upset me when I first came, but now I feel that many of those things were very small and trivial and that I was a bit silly getting annoyed. One big thing that was difficult at first, was never being able to have alone time with my husband. He is always surrounded by other warriors, often right until the minute we go to sleep. It used to bother me - it does not anymore. I love that we share everything with his family and that our house is always open to his siblings, friends and neighbours. It was also hard to accept that my husband, being a warrior, would not play a big part in raising our son who is now two. The first few months after birth were some of the hardest of my life but as with the most difficult things in life, they also taught me some valuable lessons. As with all cultures, the Masai also have certain taboos and behaviours that are strange to the average Westerner, but you get to know and accept them. Sometimes I wish I could talk more openly about my feelings, my dreams and desires to my husband's family but I know that they would not be able to understand me the way I would want them to, so I leave it. There are still moments when I feel utterly alone and misunderstood, but these moments pass and often have more do to with myself than with the beautiful people I am surrounded by. It comes down to this really and I guess this is true for everyone, no matter where you are in the world: if your heart and mind are in it, you will try your very best to make it work. If they aren't, you will find out the day you chose to give up trying.

Would you like to tell us briefly about your activity as a tour operator?

I have been supporting my husband's family for over six years now - without a regular income, this has taken its toll on my finances. I had to come up with a way of earning an income without having to make investments. So I decided to open our doors to an international audience, to invite people to come stay at our home and experience the Masai's fascinating culture. I created a Cultural Tourism website and also started writing a blog about my experiences of living with the Masai.

It was my son, who was born into his father's culture, who inspired me to do so. To preserve the beautiful wild land we live in so that he may grow up true to his Masai roots and in harmony with nature.

We have had a handful of guests and they absolutely loved the experience. There are a lot of tour operators, offering visits to Masai homes, but these visits are often staged, taking place in fake bomas and not a lot of the funds go back to the communities. With us, the experience is authentic and unique, giving guests the opportunity to play an active part in the Masai's daily routines and we offer stays of several days for an ultimate cultural insight. I am using the funds to feed our large family and should this business become really successful, I will invest some of the money back into our community to protect the Masai's unique cultural heritage and the wilderness they depend on to feed their cattle.

And now the most important question, the one I really have at heart: why did you launch the Stephanie's Masai Education Fund, and can you tell us anything that is not already explained in the beautiful fundraising campaign page you created with Indiegogo?

I launched my Masai Education Fund, which has reached its deadline on 15th February, out of love for the Masai and fed by my passion for conservation. With it, I hope to protect both the Masai's culture and the environment they live in. It was my son, who was born into his father's culture, who inspired me to do so. To preserve the beautiful wild land we live in so that he may grow up true to his Masai roots and in harmony with nature.

The Masai are such beautiful people, both inside and outside, yet they struggle to grasp their own worth. They struggle to find their place in an increasingly modern and over-populated world and are starting to disregard their beautiful ancient culture.
Tanzania has one of the worst education systems in Africa and this is evident in the lack of understanding the Masai have about how they are so intricately connected to the wilderness they live in.
It is on the fact that everything is connected that my project is based: the Masai depend on their cattle as an income, the cattle themselves depend on a healthy ecosystem to find enough grazing lands and this ecosystem needs to be looked after by its inhabitants - the Masai, to stay intact. If one manages to improve just one of those three aspects, it will have a positive impact on the other two.
I aim to provide funds for our community to be educated in land management and conservation so that we may work together to protect and regenerate our range lands, which are suffering from unsustainable agriculture practices and deforestation.

It will take years to provoke change and to see some results and I will be here to support and encourage them and to keep digging for those much needed funds.

There are many community owned concessions in Kenya, many ran by Masai or Samburu, which have an abundance of wildlife sharing its space with the tribes' cattle and this is what I hope to create here. I believe it is possible for the Masai to once again be guardians over their land - I am just giving them a little push to start this effort.

This will be an ongoing project - we may have reached our deadline, but I can already tell you, that it will not be the last. With the funds I have raised now we will be able to start our education, but we will need to raise further funds to implement what we have learned and to take a second, longer, more in-depth course.

It will take years to provoke change and to see some results and I will be here to support and encourage them and to keep digging for those much needed funds.

You can read more about my campaign on its Indiegogo crowdfunding page and find links and updates on and on my Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Stephanie Fuchs
Tanzania
February 2018
Interview collected by Claudiaexpat
All photos ©Stephanie Fuchs except the head one by Sho-Hatakeyama

(Visited 10,187 times, 282 visits today)

...may we ask you to buy us a ? We are joking of course, but there is something we would like to tell you. You might have noticed that Expatclic has no ads or paywall. For 16 years we have been working voluntarily to provide quality contents and support to expat women all over the world. However, keeping such a big website going has some costs, which we partially cover with team member's fees and donations of those who appreciate us and wants our work to continue. If you could give even a tiny contribution to cover the rest, we would be immensely grateful ♥ You can support us with a smalldonation or by becoming an honorary member. Thank you so very much.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Stephanie and her love story with a Masai and with Tanzania

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I was born in Frankfurt, Germany in June 1986, raised by a single Mum who had come to Germany from France when she was only 19 years old. Incidentally I also moved away from home when I was just 19. I went traveling around Australia and then went to England to study Biology and Conservation at Bath Spa University.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
German woman who married a Maasai tribe leader after she fell in love with him while volunteering in Tanzania has launched an Airbnb-style tourist enterprise that supports local health initiatives.

Stephanie Fuchs, 33, has set up a "cultural experience" where travellers can participate in "real" Maasai life by living in huts and rearing cattle.

Part of the proceeds go to initiatives such as making reusable sanitary kits for women in the area and supporting the tribe.

Ms Fuchs started working at a research camp close to the Selous Game Reserve in 2010. She enjoyed the experience so much that she extended her three-month trip to a year and started speaking Swahili in the process.

While on Mafia Island she spotted a group of " tall, beautiful herdsman" who follow the ancient tradition of shepherding cattle through the African savannah.

Her future husband, Sokoine, was adorned in red clothing and "beautiful handmade jewellery".

"In that moment I saw only him - he was taller than the others and had the most beautiful eyes," she told the Standard.

"As I was intrigued and impressed by them and particularly him, I tried to engage them in conversation with my Swahili. They were friendly but in a rush to get going."

In the days and weeks that followed, Ms Fuchs tried to strike up small talk whenever she saw Sokoine.

"I was more determined than ever to have a proper conversation with him," she said.

"And we did. We opened up to each other and about a week later we got together."

When the time came for Ms Fuchs to leave, she knew she was not ready.

( A warriors dance ceremony (Stephanie Fuchs) )

"I wanted to stay in Tanzania. I had come to love the country - its beautiful wildlife and especially its people - so much. I knew I did not want to live anywhere else.

"And then there was Sokoine, who had become my boyfriend and who I did not want to leave. So I suggested to him that we should try and make a life in his traditional Maasai family home in the Masai Steppe. We moved in there in January 2012."

Ms Fuchs said it was hard adapting to living alongside the Maasai. At first, she felt lonely and isolated when they spoke in the Maa tribal language.

She also found it challenging having little alone time with her partner - for he was always surrounded by other warriors.

She explained: "If they eat, they cannot do so alone, they have to be with other men. Women eat separately.

"My husband's family made an exception for me, knowing and understanding that I come from a different culture and wanting to make me feel comfortable. So I was allowed to eat with my husband and his brothers.

"But we would be in the company of others every day until night time."

The cultural differences put a strain on the relationship and the pair had arguments.

The couple realised that if they wanted to stay together, they would need to adapt to each other's lifestyles.

Ms Fuchs "dug deep" and tried to understand the root causes of disagreements. But with a new outlook, they married.

"Now many of the things that I used to find difficult have become an integrated part of my life," she said.

"I learned Maa, I connected to the people, his family and friends and now they have become my family and friends too.

"I am happier than I have ever been and I have come to love this beautiful tribe so much.

"They are innate conservationists who live in harmony with nature. They are kind, generous and even-tempered and hold an ancient wisdom from which many of us in the western world could learn a lot."

They now have a son and Ms Fuchs has set up projects to help people in her community.

She employs local women to cook and make traditional gifts for visitors staying with the tribe, as well as setting up health projects in the region.

She said: "For the work they [the women] do in helping me look after our guests, I pay them a wage and so give them the means to become financially independent of their husbands.

"They also make traditional jewellery to sell which again gives them an income.

"The same is true for my Masai women enterprise making reusable sanitary kits. The women who work with me get paid and at the same time we give back to our fellow women and girls by providing them with much needed sanitary pads."

As part of her cultural tourism project, Ms Fuchs teaches guests about the Maasai culture and gets them to participate in the traditional dancing if they desire.

As part of the experience, travellers can help look after the cattle with the tribe, eat local dishes and absorb themselves in Massai life.

The proceeds from the venture go towards supporting her family and the community.

Ms Fuchs concluded: "I love Tanzania, I love the Maasai and I believe their beautiful ancient culture is worthy of preservation."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Woman who married tribe warrior opens Airbnb-style tourist experience

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
German woman who married a Maasai tribe leader after she fell in love with him while volunteering in Tanzania has launched an Airbnb-style tourist enterprise that supports local health initiatives. Stephanie Fuchs, 33, has set up a "cultural experience" where travellers can participate in "real" Maasai life by living in huts and rearing cattle.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
✈️ "Poślubiłam Masaja i zamieszkałam w jego wiosce"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Frida Kahlo: A Brief History (School Friendly)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Who Are The Amish People of America? (Pennsylvania)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lucky People Who Survived The Impossible

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
To see lot more of my documentaries videos online, Please visit - www.youtube.com/user/j0hnl0cker
or go to the main documentary website @ http://johnlocker.com/home/search/qs?searchkey=city

Revolutionary : Episode 02 ► http://j.mp/FilthyCities-Revolutionary
Industrial : Episode 03 ► http://j.mp/FilthyCities-Industrial

Dan Snow gets down and dirty in medieval grime to discover the hard way how the London we know was forged in the filth of the 14th century. State of the art computer-generated imagery (CGI) reveals London's streets as they were 700 years ago and Dan steps into the shoes of a medieval Londoner - wooden platforms designed to help him rise above the disgusting mess underfoot. He spends the night as a medieval muck-raker shifting a staggering six tonnes of excrement, and has a go at medieval butchery to find out what the authorities were up against. Plus, he examines the remains of a plague victim to discover how a catastrophic epidemic would help a new and cleaner London emerge from the muck of the past.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
To see lot more of my documentaries videos online, Please visit - www.youtube.com/user/j0hnl0cker or go to the main documentary website @ http://johnlocker.com/home/search/qs?searchkey=city Revolutionary : Episode 02 ► http://j.mp/FilthyCities-Revolutionary Industrial : Episode 03 ► http://j.mp/FilthyCities-Industrial Dan Snow gets down and dirty in medieval grime to discover the hard way how the London we know was forged in the filth of the 14th century.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why do medieval buildings overhang their lower floors?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Alice in Wonderland Full Movie - Animated Fairy Tales - Bedtime Stories For Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Woman Who Left The Amish Community Opens Up To Megyn Kelly | Megyn Kelly TODAY

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Relive! Apollo 11:   Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin remembers. July 16-24, 1969

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fron the "When We Left Earth" ( Part 3: Landing the Eagle). Tense lunar descent of Apollo 11, and the first human footsteps on the lunar surface. Both Buzz Aldrin and the rarely interviewed Neil Armstrong appear in the episode extract. Wikipedia.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bernadett Tuza-Ritter on her documentary A WOMAN CAPTURED | ZFF Daily 2018

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Slavery: A 21st Century Evil - Bridal slaves |दासता: एक 21 वीं शताब्दी बुराई - दुल्हन गुलाम

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'My life as a modern day slave'  - BBC News

# data[].attributes.body
Hungary interview

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
High up on the list of the audience's favourites, Bernadett Tuza-Ritter's startling modern slavery doc A Woman Captured was undoubtedly a highlight at the Doc/Fest and will be one of the highlights of the year too. The film follows Marish, a factory worker and servant for Eta, a woman who doesn't work a day in her life because the servants in her employ do everything for her - including paying her the entirety of their menial jobs' wages so they can have a roof over their heads.

A Woman Captured

Marish earns 550 Euros working a 12-hour factory shift and is expected to give it all to Eta, who in return offers accommodation and the ability to "live like her", which we learn means nothing more than being able to eat food and smoke cigarettes. Marish is cut off from her family, she can't travel outside the house without Eta's knowledge and, most dishearteningly, is offered no support from the police who know that contemporary slavery is a phenomenon but supposedly can't do anything about it.

Marish is around 50 years old but the senescence of her face and lack of teeth suggest a much higher figure. It's this disconnect in her age and appearance that attracted the director to her. The horrible truth is that Marish has lived in slave-like conditions for longer than her time with Eta. One can only imagine the level of abuse she's been subject to in the later years of the life. The remarkable thing is that her character is unbroken. The mental torture is more extreme than the physical but Marish is strong, resilient and is very careful in navigating situations so as not to compromise her shot at freedom or at least to ease the pain.

One of the focal points in the zeitgeist of this year's cinema is how memorable Marvel's villains have been, between Black Panther's provocative nemesis Killmonger and Infinity War's literally world-shattering villain Thanos. It's silly to compare fictional characters to real ones, but neither make an impression quite as indelible as Eta. She's a physical and emotional abuser of the worst calibre, but her power trip completely undermines the intelligence of those around her, including Marish and Tuza-Ritter. The filmmaker explained in the post-screening Q&A that she gained intimate access to her subject's life because Eta didn't think that a "young, stupid filmmaker" was of any concern.

The most remarkable thing about Tuza-Ritter 's presentation of Marish's story is that she shoots her film entirely in close-up. It's a harrowing subjective experience and made even scarier with the faceless villain off-screen. We never see Eta - we only hear her harsh words in her harsh tones. Haunting elongated notes of music are deeply affecting and effective in punctuating the evilness of her nature. The filmmakers' focus on only shooting the one woman, the enslaved Marish, highlights the brilliant double entendre in the film's title.

If it all sounds too depressing, it's worth assuring viewers that it's ultimately a hopeful film. But to write more about Marish's journey in the film would be to diminish the emotional impact of the story. A Woman Captured is an astonishing documentary of a buoyantly spirited woman and the filmmaker she entrusts in sharing her life story. Overall, the most valuable thing achieved by A Woman Captured is that it raises awareness of modern slavery in societies where it could easily be invisible. It could be happening to one of your neighbours.

Interview with Bernadett Tuza-Ritter

I spoke to Bernadett Tuza-Ritter at the festival about her relationship with her subject, shooting the film, and how viewers can help those in similar situations to Marish.
You've spoken of having the objective of shining a light on modern slavery when you started this film. As your relationship with Marish developed, how did it affect your objectives and did you know how long you would be shooting?
Bernadett Tuza-Ritter: No, I didn't know how long I was going to be shooting and I started this as a different project. I was not aware of her situation at first. I wanted to make a 5-minute short about the day of a person because I applied to a Hungarian film school to study directing and this is what they asked for. I had the visual concept of only wanting to show one face in my film and I met [Eta's] family a few years earlier through a friend of mine. I saw that they had servants but I saw that [the servants] were paid. I couldn't forget Marish's face because I knew she was around 50 but looked so much older.

So, when I had this visual concept, I called the family to ask if I could shoot a few days with Marish and I wouldn't show anyone else's face in my film. They allowed me to shoot and, during those early days of shooting, she told me that she wasn't actually being paid. That was the first time where [the film] changed and I kept shooting.
This achievement of shooting the whole film in close-up, it reminds me of Son of Saul...
Bernadett Tuza-Ritter: Son of Saul wasn't an influence because we started in the same year and didn't know about each other's films, so it was by chance that we did the same thing.
Right. Did you have any visual references for your style?
Bernadett Tuza-Ritter: I'm coming from fiction because I've worked as an editor and a script supervisor on set for 10 years. I think I was influenced by general fiction, mainly Romanian cinema which has a really pure style of storytelling.
Everybody is stunned by the incredible access you had for this film, how intimate it was, but was there anything you wanted to capture but weren't able to?
Bernadett Tuza-Ritter: I mean, it's difficult when you're shooting in a dangerous environment because you always need to be aware of the borders and what you can do but what was really important for me was that [Marish] felt good when I was there. I told her to tell me to stop shooting if she didn't feel comfortable at any point. I did put the camera down sometimes because she asked me to but otherwise it was clear for me what I wanted to tell in my film so I focused on capturing those moments. You can't capture everything but you always try to focus on what you need for the editing room to reconstruct the reality.
That's especially significant because you were the DP too and no one else had a camera. Are there any things you would love for the audience to know about that you couldn't capture?
Bernadett Tuza-Ritter: I can't remember if there was anything I felt that way about. Of course, I remember scenes which I missed because I was on my own and didn't have a production crew so I wasn't able to gain access or find a different place to shoot. I had many ideas but couldn't do more than what I was able to.
Just over the halfway point of the film, we learn about Marish's backstory where she was in a previous household that was also abusive. When someone watches the film, they may wonder from the outset how she got to where she is, so what was behind the decision to delay the context of her circumstance?
Bernadett Tuza-Ritter: This was an editorial decision because I wanted the film to raise questions but at the same time I didn't want to make a film which worked through interviews. I did capture her telling me her background but I felt that the film changes its style immediately when we are sitting and talking too much. It was so important for me that it should be an observational film.
There's a moment in the film where the text on-screen tells us that the police had been contacted but they can't do anything about people enslaved like Marish. How do you feel about Hungary's response to people in a similar situation?
Bernadett Tuza-Ritter: I think this is a problem everywhere. If you look at the statistics, modern slavery is happening everywhere. In Hungary, as you see in the film, the system doesn't really help the victims. The main problem is that they don't think of the victims' mind-set. It's just not possible to go to the police - they don't offer you any protection - but I invited some members of a police organisation to my press screening in January. They didn't contact me after the screening and that was quite strange. A few weeks ago, I was in Budapest and I saw that the same organisation, who didn't offer help, started a campaign which is everywhere in the bus stations - "Don't be a victim of forced slavery, you can call this number if you are in trouble." It surprised me but I do hope it changes things.
What do you think viewers can do to help people in forced slavery?
Bernadett Tuza-Ritter: We can help by raising awareness and not close our eyes because this is happening in our neighbourhoods. We don't know what's happening behind closed doors but it's not so difficult to discover if we can accept that it's a genuine problem. On the other hand, I think it's really important not to blame the victim. The reason they don't ask for help or share their story is that they're worried they will be blamed. I never did that, I just listened to [Marish] and didn't ask her too many questions because I felt that she felt shame about telling her story.
Obviously, making a film like this may be harrowing for the filmmaker. Seeing everything that you did, do you have intention of continuing your exploration of modern-day slavery?
Bernadett Tuza-Ritter: No, I don't think so. I'm just a filmmaker but I want to raise awareness and I hope this film helps. I would love to work on a different topic next time but also a social issue. The amazing thing about making documentaries is being able to help people and I want to continue using that tool.
Film Inquiry would like to thank Bernadett Tuza-Ritter for her time and insight.
A Woman Captured is currently playing on the festival circuit. It will be screening as part of a world campaign called Why Slavery? at the end of this year.
Doc/Fest 10 is a series of combined review and interview features for ten films seen at the Sheffield International Documentary Festival 2018. You can view the rest of the features by clicking here.
report this ad Opinions expressed in our articles are those of the authors and not of the Film Inquiry magazine.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A WOMAN CAPTURED Review & Interview With Director Bernadett Tuza-Ritter)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A Woman Captured is a haunting insight into the life of a modern slave; we were also able to talk with filmmaker Bernadett Tuza-Ritter about her experiences making the film.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Butterfly Circus Short Film English subtitles