Finding Joy in the Journey
Almost a third of those living in Switzerland were born abroad. “It’s Nice” is a snapshot of the lives of some of these individuals working in small businesses across Zurich. The intention was to move beyond migration statistics and complex integration theories, and simply portray personal stories. It emphasizes the uniqueness of the human experience of movement and the tapestry of cultural diversity in one Swiss city. The challenge of creating a film in just 72 hours became a rare opportunity to explore migration through an imaginative lens.
I am fortunate to work within a network that shares openings in academia and beyond. When I received the call for participation in the Swiss Science Film Marathon I responded in haste and forwarded it on to my fellow NCCR colleague Mélinda Dinh. We had 3 days to produce a film of scientific relevance is exactly the kind of provocation that successfully lures me away from staring at the blank pages of my manuscript.
Mélinda’s PhD in the Department of Social Economics and Demography focuses on highly skilled female migrants in situations of family reunification in Switzerland; while my social history thesis investigates the link between narratives of crisis, mobility, and migration in the city of London. We are both from migrant backgrounds, scholars in migration and equally importantly, both creatives.
Conceptualization
Commencing the filmmaking process, required us first to find convergences in our interests and areas of expertise: scientific and artistic. Mélinda and I have different educational journeys and disciplinary specialisms. That said, our political, social, and spiritual alignment manifests in similar perspectives on the world, desires and dreams.
Our collaboration was fueled by mutual passion, pleasure, and aesthetic affinity (this must be a Libra thing). We agreed to center fun: to take an exploratory, abstract, and poetic approach to filmmaking. Our only point of departure was a strong desire to foreground the humanity hidden in the never-ending migration numbers. A mood board we co-curated in very little time, served as a fundamental reference and inspiration along the way. Leaning on a collective vision, our next step was deciding who we wanted to speak to and how we would approach people, including ethical priorities.
Methodology
Mélinda conducts semi-structured interviews in her research, I collate oral histories in mine. The contact time with participants, we agree is the most rewarding element of our work. A guiding principle in my decision to use oral history is encapsulated in a quote by migration Historian Virginia Yans-McLaughlin (1990), “If we want to know how people feel…what their motives are…why not ask them?”
Our first filmed interaction took place within minutes after presenting and having had our idea signed off. Spontaneity, responsivity, and trust in the process and in one another drove the entirety of the filmmaking process. Between the two of us growing up bilingual, able to pick up language basics with relative ease and enthusiasm, and alongside trusty DeepL (shout out to the NCCR Pro account), we were able to communicate our simple concept to those eventually featured in our film. We provided a template of three simple questions:
“When did you come to Switzerland? Where from? What were your first impressions of Switzerland? Did you have any expectations about what life would be like in Switzerland?”
Affirming humanity within major phenomena like “migration” only works when researchers involved are able and willing to embody and value the vulnerability of their own humanness. Our purpose was not to impart knowledge but to learn from people who through their lived experience, know the subject better than us.
The excitement of learning something new, especially a practical skill, with an immediately tangible outcome – uncommon in qualitative academic research – felt simultaneously satisfying and stimulating. Learning to operate a camera and to shoot with the help of our film marathon mentor was a highlight of this experience.
Our film, with its many imperfections, reflects the nature of intense schedules, and fast turnarounds so common in research. Neither of us had any experience with the video editing software, Premiere Pro, which we taught ourselves using AI and YouTube. A couple of late nights, with eyes teary from fatigue and laughter, we brought together a vision. Perhaps not as impressive as we hoped, but one we are proud of all the same.
The final edit of a film – unlike an academic article I would argue – is the story and the context. It is visible to all. The reception of our (never complete and continually evolving) film allowed us to see how storytelling in this way resonates far beyond academia.
Knowledge Transfer
One thing about disseminating research, in whatever form, whether the film or this blog post, is that inner critic incessantly asking: ‘Why would anyone care about what you have to say?’, especially when it feels rushed and haphazardly put together.
“It’s Nice” was well received at the Global Science Film Festival, the audience responded proactively and gave a warm applause. Since then, we have had messages from a schoolteacher and colleagues asking for permission to screen our film, and from many others outside the academy interested in the topic. A reminder that alternative mediums of knowledge transfer are valued and in demand.
The PhD is a journey, one with countless lows and fortunately some great highs. It is my mission to prioritize joy and connection throughout. On this note, I feel a great sense of accomplishment. This experience has been yet another reminder that the sharing of ideas, findings, and experiences is the heartbeat of research. In fact, I have already started working on a second film, watch this space…
Carol Pierre is a Doctoral Researcher at the Swiss Forum for Migration and Population Studies, at the University of Neuchâtel, and a fellow of the nccr – on the move: A passion for communicating people’s histories is born from the desire to contextualize, with nuance, current socio-political realities.
