The true story of Otomo, a black man seeking work and asylum in the German city of Stuttgart. However, all he finds is racism, police trouble, and his final destiny.
As I watch this film, I think about the many black lives taken at the hands of police officers in this country. I also think about how the events are often reported to benefit those who commit these racist acts. This particular tragedy took place in Germany back in 1989 but this type of racism and police brutality has never dissipated. Since the only witnesses to the killing were the police officers, I struggled with not knowing the truth of what really happened that morning from the time Otomo woke up all the way until his death on that bridge. This film presents a dramatization, an idea, an imagination of some sort to what did occur that morning.
An African refugee named Frederic Otomo (Isaach De Bankolé) ends up in Germany after leaving his country, hiding in a cargo ship. Never having received permanent documentation, he spends his life struggling to find work and a decent place to live, which he is usually denied. One morning he awakes at 4 am and heads to the employment office hoping to be chosen for a job but is turned down due to his temporary work permit. After being told to leave, he walks the streets in frustration but ultimately boards a public bus where he is harassed by a ticket inspector who claims his pass is only good for one zone. Otomo is asked to get off at the next stop, he refuses initially, telling the inspector that his ticket is valid but decides to exit at the last minute. A physical altercation occurs between the two after the inspector tries to block Otomo from exiting the bus.
Knocking the inspector to the floor, Otomo gets off the bus and the inspector confiscates his bag then reports the incident to the police. At first, he wants to persuade the officers into believing that Otomo didn’t have a proper bus ticket but when the officer corrects him, he moves the story into the direction of how invalid the ticket was to Otomo becoming violent. The female ticket inspector who was present validates the incident and adds that he also grabbed her aggressively, creating an image of an uncontrollable monster. After the officers concoct a report to support the inspector’s story, they announce a public warning to look out for a “violent black man.” One officer shows compassion for Otomo and his situation but is told by a superior to disregard any feelings for these types of people, that it will get him nowhere. Two police officers named Heinz (Hanno Friedrich) and Rolf (Barnaby Metschurat) take part in the investigation and set out to capture him with hopes that the arrest will lead to a promotion. Shortly after they leave the station they try and figure out where Otomo could be hiding. They arrive at the rooming house where he stayed and are disappointed to be told by the manager that he is the most peaceful man who always discusses the bible.
Running from the law, Otomo has very few places to hide, especially being the only black in the area. He ends up in a diner for coffee and as luck is on his side, the officers miss him by minutes as they arrive, asking the owner if they’ve seen a black man, thankfully she lies and says no. He finds a truck stop where he looks for an opening to hide between the cargo, but a trucker catches him from behind at gunpoint demanding information. After the driver realizes that Otomo is no threat, only a refugee looking for a way out, he offers him a ride to Holland for $400 which he doesn’t have. With merely two hours to find the money, Otomo has run out of options.
Ending up at a park sitting by a lake, a young girl named Simone (Lara Kugler) spots him and brings him a flower. Her grandmother Gisela (Eva Mattes), who grabs the child, is fearful of him at first as he demands money from her. Once he has apologized for his behavior, they sit on a bench and talk, getting to know each other. Otomo tells her about his family and she takes a liking to him wanting to know more about Africa. She invites him over to her home to give him some decent shoes, meanwhile, the police officers have spotted the two of them walking down the street. As they rush to their car, they quickly lose them but keep searching, knowing they are not far away. Gisella decides to go to the bank to withdraw the $400 to help Otomo leave Germany. When Gisela returns with the cash, she notices the officers and leads Otomo to the basement door so he can exit without getting caught. Otomo exits the home and officer Rolf sees him running and alerts his partner Heinz. As they get into the car to search for him, Otomo reaches the truck stop looking for the driver to take him to Holland. Sadly, he is seconds too late and watches as he drives off.
Walking over the bridge, other police officers, including Heinz and Rolf, approach him asking for his ID to ensure he is the person they are looking for. He doesn’t say a word as they speak to him in German and English, thinking he doesn’t understand. As he tries to get away, they grab hold of him and he stabs them but upon running, Heinz pulls out his gun and shoots him several times in the back. On that day, August 9th, 1989, two officers and Otomo died on that bridge. While the police held a service everyone attended, Otomo was buried in a small lot where Gisela and a few others, including the rooming house manager and friend attended.
This film left me sleepless, wondering about the actual murder of this African immigrant who was shot and killed by a police officer. I was enraged as I saw the lack of professionalism and fairness amongst the police at the station in terms of thoroughly investigating the incident instead of agreeing to a story that justified seeking an arrest of this black man they called “violent.” I wondered, did he really refuse to leave the bus that morning when asked about his ticket? Did the altercation with the ticket inspector happen? Was there an actual knife and how did he stab multiple officers on that bridge without being quickly detained and cuffed? I would have loved to have seen some justice but the story ended as do most cases like this, leaving you slightly shattered in some way but never forgetting.
“Otomo” recently premiered at the 2019 African Diaspora Int’l Film Festival
