| Playtime: | ca. 140 Min. | from 16 years | |||
| Venue: | Kinopolis Cinema 7 | Time: | 7:00 PM | Date: | Wednesday, 03/11 |
Opening Night
With 221 films from 36 countries – including 29 world, 18 European, and 83 German premieres – we are celebrating six days of international short film artistry this year. During tonight’s opening gala, seven selected films will offer a first glimpse into our diverse programme.
First, we meet Tamim in FOUND&LOST, who is trying to find his feet in a new environment. A Syrian father, new to his apartment building, the city, and the country, he simply wants to do a good deed. However, he is forced to learn the painful lesson that his help is either unwanted or viewed with suspicion by his new neighbours.
While Tamim struggles for acceptance, Tara and Marie hope for digital recognition in OUT OF THE BLUE. But their social media shoot for a hotel chain doesn’t lead to the expected viral fame; instead, it results in an unexpected discussion about core values.
Oscar, too, must find his true self in BLUEBERRY. He wakes up deep in the Swedish forests, half-naked and faun-like, wearing nothing but furry cowboy chaps. It is only with the help of a berry picker that he finds his way back to his festival and, amidst the ecstasy there, finds inner peace.
Returning to the urban landscape, we listen to Alois Spies, who grants us an astonishingly multi-layered insight into his investigations for the METRO KOJAK against underground vandalism. We then experience firsthand how draining the daily grind can be for paramedic Yasmin. As if in a TRANCE, we accompany her through an exhausting day where, out of sheer fatigue, she threatens to reach her physical and emotional limits.
In a more private setting, we follow the story of Esther and Christina. In BECAUSE OF MOM, the sisters meet on the anniversary of their mother’s death. While attempting to sabre a bottle of sparkling wine, a small but significant victory is finally won in the sisters’ relationship.
Finally, we meet Gladys in WHITCH. The elderly lady simply wants to meet her group of friends for tea, but she suddenly bursts into the daily lives of a stranger and her young daughter.
Opening Night
Found & Lost
Tamim, a Syrian father in Vienna, actually just wants to return a lost wallet to the club. What begins as a well-intentioned act plunges him into a complicated situation.
Out of the Blue
Two teen hotel workers discover an enticing social media shoot. One craves fame, the other fears danger. Temptation ignites a quiet battle over friendship and conviction.
Blueberry
After his mother’s death, Oscar attends a Burning Man–inspired festival in the Swedish woods. Lost, naked and injured, he is helped back by a Thai berry picker.
Metro Kojak
In the 1980s, Alois Spies, also known as “Metro Kojak,” chased graffiti artists in Munich’s subway system. For over a decade, he made life difficult for the scene.
Trance
Exhausted paramedic Yasmin battles her shift between emergency calls and supporting her family alone. Forced to hide her sister in the ambulance, she nears collapse.
Because of mom
Two sisters, a death anniversary and an unopened champagne bottle — fear sparks a debate about strength, weakness, and their mother’s idea of an empowered woman.
Whitch
After putting her daughter to bed, Aura discovers an intruder in her house: an elderly lady who acts strangely familiar, and is hell-bent on performing a bloody ritual before midnight.
