Synopsis

​ Hugo is shy and works as a janitor in a prefabricated building. He feels at home here, and is loved by the residents, even singing his own songs in the hallways. But rapid change is making Hugo feel uneasy at home. Johanna, who lives on the bus in front of her house and faces racism and sexism on a daily basis, is also unhappy with her life. The two become close and share a sense of not fully belonging. Above all, they share a love of music.

Program Note

​ In this inimitable adaptation of Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the character Quasimodo is transformed into Hugo, the solitary caretaker of an apartment complex housing common people. Similarly, Esmeralda becomes Johanna, an Asian woman subjected to racism and sexual desire. Hugo, who is naturally timid, finds it difficult to communicate with the residents who face eviction due to reconstruction. The film uses the classics to make an effective critique of human alienation in capitalist society in a short running time. (Jin. Cho)

Director

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  • Pascal Schuh
  • Pascal Schuh was born in Bonn in 1996 and taught himself how to use a camera and editing program. He is studying film directing at the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF. Since 2017 he has directed various films and focuses iin his work on music in film. With Songs of A Caretaker, Pascal Schuh has created an impressive adaptation that deals with the topics of racism and gentrification in the form of a music film with an extraordinary cast.