Naima

Description

Naima, a spirited and charismatic 46-year-old Venezuelan, has lived in poverty in Basel for almost twenty years. Despite her South American marketing degree, she struggles to survive in the low-wage sector. Her two children have long been living with her Swiss ex-husband, and she sees them only sporadically. When Naima loses her job again, she decides to fight for training at the employment office – she wants to finally gain a foothold in society. With the support of her circle of friends and government agencies, Naima is able to secure an apprenticeship to become a nurse. At the same time, her 17-year-old son Luke announces his intention to move into her small apartment. He is undergoing gender reassignment and wants a change of scenery. Naima is challenged and highly motivated to face these challenges. However, happiness is fragile. During her first internship, she is confronted with the harsh realities of nursing. Patients appreciate her warmth, humour and meaningful conversations, but professionally she is criticised for being too emotionally involved. At home, her son often reacts with incomprehension to her mentality, and she increasingly feels relegated into the role of an outsider. The pressure in the internship grows, and when she learns that she has failed the internship, Naima’s world collapses. Her last chance to establish herself seems to be slipping away, and she threatens to fall back into the same depression she experienced when her marriage broke up and she was left alone with her children in a foreign country. But this time, Naima seeks help – both her boyfriend and a union lawyer encourage her to appeal, and Naima begins her toughest fight ever: to stand up for herself. Naima wins the appeal and is granted a pass retroactively. However, the wound of experienced discrimination remains. Entering the next internship with great uncertainty and trying not to stand out, this time she is valued by the team and passes her internship. At the grand diploma ceremony of her class, friends, family, and companions gather. Naima dazzles in a sexy South American-style orange cocktail dress and basks in the glow. After the party, Luke shyly pulls her aside and performs a self-composed rap, expressing his admiration and love for his mother.