Olivia and the Invisible Earthquake

Olivia admires her mother: she is the best actress in the world and takes care of the twelve-year-old and her brother all by herself. But suddenly electricity is cut off and money for food is becoming scarce. When they are about to be evicted from the family home, their lives are shaken by an “invisible earthquake”. The family has to move, and the two children are forced to attend a different school. Even Olivia’s best friend turns her back on her. To protect her little brother from the fears he is likely to experience, she resorts to a trick. She makes him believe that everything is a game, a fantasy world in which all events are just a film plot. Although she herself is fearful and insecure, the girl ultimately has to take on even more responsibility when her mother falls ill. Olivia takes care of her brother and the flat, thereby presenting a stable image of the family to the social worker. She finds support in new friendships and the incredible solidarity of the neighbourhood. But only when she opens up to her brother and stops trying to bear all responsibilityalone is she able to “defeat” the threatening earthquake.