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Early morning in the Trapani salt flats

What happens in the morning at singular places in Europe, and how has such activities shaped people and their regions? In which types of moods do different people start the new day? Through which emotions do they experience nature, and the still lingering silence of the night that has just ended for them? And why is it worthwhile for them to begin the day so early at a particular location? The five part documentary series "Early Morning in..." accompanies various people in diverse regions of Europe, all of them strongly tied through life situations or occupations to the interval lasting from early morning to midday. In atmospheric, aesthetically striking landscape sequences, the film series features locations where the period stretching from early morning to midday has a very special meaning as a time when people must fulfill special tasks and duties. In each part, a central protagonist guides us through his or her personal life story, his or her own living environment. Through each story, we learn about a specific region and its inhabitants. And we discover what transpires there in the early morning hours. We accompany individuals during their morning routines: from their homes and out into the fields, the forests, or the mountains. What does early morning activity signify for people in this region? Is the motive personal passion, or instead the necessity to earn a living? We find out what their work means for them, and how deeply it shapes their lives. Through intimate glimpses of everyday activities, we get to know people throughout Europe – from east to west. We start the day together with them, and experience the rare morning atmosphere, one ordinarily reserved for them alone.


Screensplay / Direction: Heike Nikolaus
PlayTime: 26'30 min
Client: ARD/MDR
Produced: 2016 ,