The film introduces the Museum of Modern Ahrts: that is a memorial and piece of art created to remember the flood in the Ahr Valley, Germany in 2021.

We wanted to capture the emotional state of being a flood victim. How they experienced the catastrophe? What it was like being washed away, grasping for air, and hovering between life and death?

So the dramaturgy of the film minimalistic and simple: we're showing the cube, and the personal objects of the victims trapped inside – while re-creating what might be the reality of the original flood scene. The minimalist visuality of the video is counter-pointed with the life-and-death drama that is being evoked by the powerful and realistic soundtrack and audio-design of the spot.

The flood in the Ahr-Valley, Germany in 2021 July, destroyed large parts of the region.

It attracted massive media attention, over 150.000 volunteers came to help the victims, and donations worth millions of euros were collected to support the area.

However, the financial support and in general the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Ahr-Valley were trapped in a bureaucratic loophole. The victims and the catastrophe became forgotten.

Focusing on the key learnings from the actual Ahr-Valley flood, we wanted to raise awareness of the more general problem of this ”bureaucratic anomaly” that affects every past and future post-catastrophic situation, slowing down reconstruction and help. Our aim was to fight against oblivion by reactivating media attention

Keeping the flood and its consequences in the spotlight and building mental availability of this serious issue we had to start a public conversation that involved decision-makers, and even reminded politicians about their forgotten promises.

The sound design meticulously re-creates, and depicts the atmosphere of the event from a victim's perspective. It makes us feel, like we're experiencing the flood ourselves.

They way it comes (with sirens, clashes of waves, people crying) – and the way it "grabs" us, pushing us underwater, then we're trying come up for air again and again...

It's a auditive storytelling at its best – supported with a lyrical, yet optimistic piano and chello play suggesting hope and survival.

The “Museum of Modern Ahrts” brand is based on the flood in the Ahr-Valley. The idea was built and communicated on the fact that people knew about it.

The flood in the Ahr-Valley, on 14th July 2021 was a massive, devastating event. One of Germany’s worst natural disasters in history.

It received huge media attention, and support e.g. with the successful #flutwein campaign. It also became a major campaign-issue for the 2021 federal election.

However, even this terrible event was soon replaced by other headlines. The issue of the post-catastrophe, and the bureaucracy behind became unknown to the public.

German people, donated hundreds of millions for rebuilding the Ahr-Valley, thinking that reconstruction is progressing without any major problems.

With these donations trapped in bureaucracy and the importance to learn from the forgotten Ahr-Valley events, the campaign highlights the truth about the disaster within disaster-management, triggering the emotions of the people.