Oyoyo (1980)

"Oyoyo," a 1980 film by Indian director Chetna Vora, portrays international students studying economics at the "Hochschule für Ökonomie Berlin-Karlshorst" in East Germany during the late 1970s. The film offers an intimate look at these young people as they navigate academic and personal challenges while studying in the GDR. Vora captures candid conversations between the students in their Berlin-Karlshorst dormitory, revealing their thoughts and feelings about home and their hopes for the future. The film features a diverse soundtrack with music by artists like Silvio Rodriguez, Nara Leão, and Cape Verdean Créole musicians. Drawing on her own experiences growing up in communist India, Vora provides a unique perspective on international education and cultural exchange in East Germany during the late 1970s.