DOMA is a poetic short film by East Belgian spoken-word artist Jessy James LaFleur, exploring the fragile idea of home in a borderless Europe. Filmed in Lusatia and along the German-Polish border, the film reflects on belonging, memory and cultural diversity amid political shifts. DOMA asks what remains of coexistence when borders and certainties begin to harden.
The project is part of the subthemes Writing After – Catastrophe, Memory, and the Archive of Loss, Disrupted Realities – Poetry and the Politics of Truth, Poetic Infrastructures – Reclaiming Space, Building Commons, The Poetics of Care – Intimacy, Tenderness, Repair.
Author
Jessy James LaFleur
Jessy James LaFleur is spoken-word artist from the German-speaking minority of East Belgium, author and cultural practitioner working at the intersection of literature, performance and socio-political engagement. Performing in English, German and French, her work explores belonging, displacement, feminist resistance and the fragile idea of “home” in times of social rupture.
With over two decades of stage experience, Jessy’s practice moves beyond conventional poetry formats, blending spoken word with performative narration and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Her work addresses identity and borders in contemporary Europe. Drawing from experiences of homelessness, fractured family structures and domestic violence, she transforms hardship into a poetic language of artistic resilience.
She is the founder of the SPOKEN WORD AKADEMIE, a platform for creative language education and democratic participation through poetry, working with young people in East Germany and across borders, particularly in rural and post-industrial regions. Through this work, she has initiated collaborations, workshops and publications amplifying marginalised voices.
Jessy has performed across the world in literary festivals, cultural institutions and interdisciplinary art spaces. Her recent solo program "DOMA – A Home for a Paper Plane" interlaces autobiographical storytelling with political reflection and multilingual spoken word. The work will be published as a book in Ukraine in January 2026.
