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Berlin International Film Festival · 2019

Berlin International Film Festival 2019

Generation

Programme

29 films · 6 reviews

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2040

Review preview for 2040

This is a grand vision, grandly executed, and like the solutions it depicts it exists today.

Andrew Robertson · 4 out of 5
The intrepid creator of the documentary That Sugar Film sets off on another journey, this time to scour the world for solutions and measures to combat climate change.

(Country: Australia; Year: 2019; Director: Damon Gameau; Writer: Damon Gameau; Stars: Damon Gameau, Eva Lazzaro, Zoe Gameau, Davini Malcolm, Damon Gameau, Eva Lazzaro, Zoe Gameau, Davini Malcolm)

Full review

Documentary. Out of competition. Kplus

Anbessa

Asalif and his mother defy Ethiopia’s omnipresent modern housing development culture, by continuing to live a life characterised by proximity to nature and rootedness in community. The boy counters the ruptures in his accustomed surroundings and the threat posed by the hyena that haunts his neighbourhood by reinventing himself as a hero: as Anbessa, the lion.

(Country: Italy, Ethiopia, United States; Year: 2019; Director: Mo Scarpelli; Writer: Mo Scarpelli)

Documentary. World premiere. Kplus

Baracoa

Summer is long and hot in the tiny Cuban village. Nine-year-old Leonel and his 13-year-old friend Antuán are fighting boredom as best they can by catching tadpoles and argue about hairstyles, while the sea calls and a move to Havana is on the horizon.

(Country: Colombia, Switzerland, United States, Cuba; Year: 2019; Director: Pablo Briones, Sean Clark, Jace Freeman; Writer: Pablo Briones; Stars: Leonel Aguilera, Antuàn Alemàn, Leonel Aguilera, Antuàn Alemàn)

Documentary. World premiere. Kplus

The Body Remembers When The World Broke Open

An intense encounter between two indigenous women on the streets of Vancouver plays out over the course of a single afternoon and evening.

(Country: Canada, Norway; Year: 2019; Director: Kathleen Hepburn, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers; Writer: Kathleen Hepburn, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers; Stars: Violet Nelson, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Charlie Hannah, Barbara Eve Harris, Sonny Surowiec, Jay Cardinal Villeneuve, Tony Massil, Aidan Dee, James Angus Cowan, Anthony Bolognese, Anesha Bailey, Lissa Neptuno, Charles Jarman, Paul Jarrett, Glenn Cho)

World premiere. 14plus

Bulbul Can Sing

Review preview for Bulbul Can Sing

The territory that it takes the film to makes the last third is rushed in comparison to what has gone before, where the simplicity of the storyline provided the perfect backdrop for complex emotions.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
Portrait of a trio of friends struggling with the expectations of adults and tradition in their village community.

(Country: India; Year: 2018; Director: Rima Das; Writer: Rima Das; Stars: Pakija Begam, Arnali Das, Manabendra Das, Manoranjan Das, Bonita Thakuriya, Pakija Begam, Arnali Das, Manabendra Das, Manoranjan Das, Bonita Thakuriya)

Full review

European premiere. 14plus

By The Name Of Tania

Tania is not her real name. She has lost that as well as her right of self-determination. In the hope of finding happiness in the Peruvian gold mines, she fell into the hands of a trafficker who forced her to work in the brothels.

(Country: Belgium, Netherlands, Peru; Year: 2019; Director: Mary Jimenez, Bénédicte Liénard; Stars: Yossimar Vietto Omnia, Ismael Vasquez Colchado, Tanit Lidia Coquiche Cenepo, Fiorella J. Aquila, Yossimar Vietto Omnia, Ismael Vasquez Colchado, Tanit Lidia Coquiche Cenepo, Fiorella J. Aquila)

Kplus

Cleo

Can Cleo turn back time? It seems that misfortune has been haunting her loved ones since she was born. A legendary treasure sounds like the solution to her problems, but Cleo will have to let go of the past.

(Country: Germany; Year: 2019; Director: Erik Schmitt; Stars: Marleen Lohse, Jeremy Mockridge, Gwendolyn Göbel, Heiko Pinkowski, Max Mauff)

Kplus

A Colony (Une colonie)

Running the tricky gauntlet of school life and first house parties, 12-year-old Mylia is having a tough time figuring out where she fits in. That is, until she gets to know her idiosyncratic schoolmate Jimmy. The boy from the neighbouring Abenaki reservation encourages her to cross externally defined boundaries.

(Country: Canada; Year: 2018; Director: Geneviève Dulude-De Celles; Writer: Geneviève Dulude-De Celles; Stars: Robin Aubert, Emilie Bierre, Irlande Côté, Noémie Godin-Vigneau, Cassandra Gosselin-Pelletier, Jacob Whiteduck-Lavoie, Robin Aubert, Emilie Bierre, Irlande Côté, Noémie Godin-Vigneau, Cassandra Gosselin-Pelletier, Jacob Whiteduck-Lavoie)

International premiere. Kplus

The Crossing (Guo Chun Tian)

A teenager joins a smuggling gang in a bid to realise her dream of seeing snow in Japan, but her life begins to fall apart.

(Country: China; Year: 2018; Director: Bai Xue; Stars: Gang Jiao, Elena Kong, Kai Chi Liu, Hongjie Ni, Carmen Soup, Sunny Sun, Huang Yao, Gang Jiao, Elena Kong, Kai Chi Liu, Hongjie Ni, Carmen Soup, Sunny Sun, Huang Yao)

European premiere. 14plus

Daniel (Daniel fait face)

Spooky stuff is afoot in a French school. All of a sudden, 10-year-old Daniel finds himself alone with Marthe – their encounter is both tender and troubling, and it seems to take place in a sort of vacuum.

(Country: France; Year: 2018; Director: Marine Atlan; Stars: Théo Polgar, Madeleine Folacci, Aurélien Gabrielli, Emmanuelle Cuau, Théo Polgar, Madeleine Folacci, Aurélien Gabrielli, Emmanuelle Cuau)

International premiere. Kplus

Driveways

Review preview for Driveways

Beautifully acted all round, Driveways is a small film with a big heart.

Jennie Kermode · 3 out of 5
Eight-year-old Cody is spending the summer in an unfamiliar setting with his mom Kathy. Though he can’t relate to the neighbourhood kids, things take an unexpected turn when he develops an unusual friendship with grouchy old Del from next door.

(Country: US; Year: 2019; Director: Andrew Ahn; Writer: Hannah Bos, Paul Thureen; Stars: Jack Caleb, Stan Carp, Hong Chau, Jennifer Delora, Brian Dennehy, James DiGiacomo, Sophia DiStefano, Christine Ebersole, Lucas Jaye, Samantha Jones, Anastasia Veronica Lee, Raymond Lee, Fernando Mateo Jr., Robyn Payne, Wayne Pyle)

Full review

Kplus

A First Farewell (Di yi ci de li bie)

Isa lives with his family in a Uighur village community. His mother’s illness and his best friend’s bad grades make life hard.

(Country: China; Year: 2018; Director: Lina Wang)

European premiere. Kplus

Goldie

When her mother is imprisoned, Goldie’s first priority becomes the fight to keep child welfare services from tearing her and her siblings apart from one another as she tries to pursue her dream.

(Country: US; Year: 2018; Director: Sam de Jong; Writer: Sam de Jong; Stars: Slick Woods, George Sample III, Danny Hoch, Khris Davis, Mugga, DeShawn White, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Demi Singleton, Thaddeus Daniels, Ratnesh Dubey, De'Atchra Skerritt, Sienna Rivers, Jazmyn C Dorsey, Angela Griszell, David Mohr)

World premiere. 14plus

House Of Hummingbird

Review preview for House Of Hummingbird

House Of Hummingbird centres on a quiet yet never passive performance from Park, who draws us into Eun-hee's world as we watch her absorbing and processing the events going on around her.

Jennie Kermode · 4 out of 5
She roams the neighbourhood with her best friend, attempts to fall in love, is sent to the hospital with an unclear diagnosis. Untethered from the wider world, 14-year-old Eun-hee floats through Seoul.

(Country: South Korea; Year: 2018; Director: Bora Kim; Writer: Bora Kim; Stars: Jeong In-gi, Kim Sae-byeok, ParkJi-hu, Lee Seung-Yeon)

Full review

European premiere. 14plus

Kids (Kinder)

Documentary about four kids who live in Berlin.

(Year: 2019; Director: Nina Wesemann)

Documentary. World premiere. Kplus

Knives And Skin

Review preview for Knives And Skin

This is a world of ballgowns, sequins and lace...but none of that diminishes the ability of its heroes to think clearly or take charge of their own fates.

Jennie Kermode · 3.5 out of 5
Trouble brews in small town America after the disappearance of a teenager.

(Country: US; Year: 2019; Director: Jennifer Reeder; Writer: Jennifer Reeder; Stars: Kate Arrington, Tony Fitzpatrick, Tim Hopper, Marika Engelhardt, James Vincent Meredith, Robert T. Cunningham, Marilyn Dodds Frank, Ty Olwin, Raven Whitley, Audrey Francis, Grace Etzkorn, Genevieve Venjohnson, Ireon Roach, Kayla Carter, Haley Bolithon)

Full review See: Interview with Jennifer Reeder about Knives And Skin

World premiere. 14plus

Kokdu: A Story of Guardian Angels (Kok-du yi-ya-ki)

When their mortally ill grandmother is admitted to the hospital, siblings Su-min and Dong-min embark on a turbulent adventure.

(Country: South Korea; Year: 2019; Director: Kim Tae Yong; Stars: Kim Su-an, Choi Go, Cho Hee-bong, Park Sang-ju, Shim Jae-hyun)

Kplus

Lotte And The Lost Dragons (Lotte ja kadunud lohed)

Lotte goes on the hunt for a fire-breathing dragon.

(Country: Estonia, Latvia; Year: 2019; Director: Janno Põldma, Heiki Ernits)

International premiere. Kplus

Louis & Luca - Mission To The Moon (Månelyst i Flåklypa)

Louis the magpie and Luca the hedgehog, are going on a trip to the moon.

(Country: Norway; Year: 2018; Director: Rasmus A Sivertsen; Writer: Karsten Fullu; Stars: Kari Ann Grønsund, Trond Høvik, Per Skjølsvik, Kåre Conradi, John F. Brungot, Fridtjov Såheim, Bjarte Hjelmeland, Kari Ann Grønsund, Trond Høvik, Per Skjølsvik, Kåre Conradi, John F. Brungot, Fridtjov Såheim, Bjarte Hjelmeland)

Kplus

The Magic Life Of V

Haunted by childhood traumas, Veera is trying to become more independent through live roleplaying. As she guides herself and her mentally-challenged brother through worlds of multiple roles and identities, witches and wizards, she finds the courage to face the demons of her own past and her abusive father's legacy.

(Country: Finland, Denmark, Bulgaria; Year: 2019; Director: Tonislav Hristov)

14plus

My Extraordinary Summer With Tess (Mijn bijzonder rare week met Tess)

As the youngest of the family, Sam’s afraid of dying last. Which explains his peculiar obsession with practicing being alone while on summer vacation. Then along comes unconventional Tess! She’s got a secret plan and needs Sam’s help to pull it off.

(Country: Netherlands; Year: 2019; Director: Steven Wouterlood; Writer: Anna Woltz, Laura van Dijk; Stars: Jennifer Hoffman, Hans Dagelet, Julian Ras, Guido Pollemans, Terence Schreurs, Tjebbo Gerritsma, Sonny Coops Van Utteren, Johannes Kienast, Suzan Boogaerdt, Josephine Arendsen, Jennifer Hoffman, Hans Dagelet, Julian Ras, Guido Pollemans, Terence Schreurs)

Kplus

Reconstructing Utøya

Four young survivors of the killing spree that took place on the Norwegian island in the summer of 2011 confront their experiences in a performative reconstruction of events.

(Country: Sweden, Norway, Denmark; Year: 2018; Director: Carl Javér; Writer: Carl Javér, Fredrik Lange; Stars: Jenny Andersen, Rakel Mortensdatter Birkeli, Barbro Bugge, Sunniva Clark, Johanne Lovise Dikkanen, Vebjörn Karlsen Fosnes, Kaleb Haile, Torje Hansen, Harriet Amalie Hanssen, Marianne Hetland, Andreas Kjosmoen, Nicolas Steffensen Krane, Opal Mariell Lomgård, Torstein Myklebust, Ragnild Risnes)

Out of competition. 14plus

The Red Phallus

Caught between a married lover and a domineering father, Sangay’s life is hemmed in on all sides.

(Country: Bhutan, Germany; Year: 2019; Director: Tashi Gyeltshen; Stars: Tshering Euden, Singye, Dorji Gyeltshen)

14plus

Ringside

For Kenny and Destyne, the boxing gym is a shelter from the perils of the street. Spurred on by their ambitious fathers, the ring becomes a personal prison, though it also represents their only chance to escape the rough world of Chicago’s South Side.

(Country: Germany, US; Year: 2019; Director: André Hörmann; Stars: Kenneth Sims Jr., Kenneth Sims Sr., Destyne Butler Jr., Destyne Butler Sr)

14plus

Stupid Young Heart (Hölmö Nuori Sydän)

A pair of suburban teens suddenly find themselves trying to deal with an unexpected pregnancy.

(Country: Finland, Netherlands, Sweden; Year: 2018; Director: Selma Vilhunen; Writer: Kirsikka Saari; Stars: Pihla Viitala, Ville Haapasalo, Mika Melender, Anton Kettunen, Rosa Honkonen, Katja Kukkola, Aamu Milonoff, Juha Ruokola, Jere Ristseppä, Leena Vanhamäki, Elsa Marjanen, Abshir Sheik Nur, Sonya Lindfors, Ephraime Lopanda, Pihla Viitala)

European premiere. 14plus

Sune Vs Sune

Armed with laser guns and swords and with best friend Sophie in tow, Sune regularly embarks on epic fantasy battles. Yet as the summer holidays draw to an end, a different challenge awaits him in the real world: a new classmate has arrived, also called Sune.

(Country: Sweden; Year: 2018; Director: Jon Holmberg; Writer: Jon Holmberg, Jon Holmberg, Anders Jacobsson, Daniella Mendel-Enk, Daniella Mendel-Enk, Sören Olsson, Sören Olsson, Sara Young; Stars: Sissela Benn, Pamela Cortes Bruna, Anders Eriksson, Elis Gerdt, Fredrik Hallgren, Baxter Renman, William Spetz, Tea Stjärne, Lily Wahlsteen, John Österlund, Sissela Benn, Pamela Cortes Bruna, Anders Eriksson, Elis Gerdt, Fredrik Hallgren)

Kplus

We Are Little Zombies

Review preview for We Are Little Zombies

Nagahisa...understands and embraces the complexity of early adolescence, when kids are finding their own way,

Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
Their parents are dead. They should be sad, but they can't cry. So they form a kick-ass band. This is the story of four 13-year-olds in search of their emotions.

(Country: Japan; Year: 2019; Director: Makoto Nagahisa; Writer: Makoto Nagahisa; Stars: Keita Ninomiya, Satoshi Mizuno, Mondo Okumura, Sena Nakajima)

Full review

European premiere.14plus

Where We Belong

The parents split up, the children are left behind with their thoughts.

(Country: Switzerland; Year: 2019; Director: Jacqueline Zünd; Writer: Jacqueline Zünd; Stars: Carleton Gogel, Sherazade Gogel, Thomas Kurmann, Alyssia Pascale, Ilaria Pascale, Carleton Gogel, Sherazade Gogel, Thomas Kurmann, Alyssia Pascale, Ilaria Pascale)

Kplus

Your Turn (Espero tua (re)volta)

Demonstrating, occupying schools across the country, self-organisation and police oppression, the camera always in the midst. Young Brasilians make history in this radical document.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2019; Director: Eliza Capai)

14plus