Drexciya is a Migration Fiction short film, inspired by the 1924 expressionist novel ‘Berge Meere und Giganten‘ (‘Mountains Oceans Giants: An Epic of the 27th Century‘) by Alfred Döblin. After the world had just suffered its first industrial-age war, the author paints a stark picture of entire epochs of future geopolitical turmoil, which includes an era when refugees from a sunk-into-chaos Europe try to reach the safety of prospering but secluded African city states.

Drexciya tells the story of such a migrant as he, after barely making it ashore alive, wanders in-land and traverses the desert trying to reach a fabled city, about the barriers he encounters on the way, and humanity as the key to overcoming them.

Produced by the international art film collective Utopia Afrika (e.V.), shot on locations in Germany, France and Burkina Faso, starring an international cast including German actor Alexander Beyer, the movie was released in 2012.

Art Direction

As the Art Director I was the initial “world builder” for Drexciya: In close collaboration with its Director and vision-keeper Simon Rittmeier I developed the cultural background of the story, including a range of visualizations on what structures, people and things in a North-African civilization of the 24th century might look like, concept art which then informed the work of Costume, Set and Special Effect designers.

Trailer