The Surprise of this year’s Berlinale: with only the second long feature on her vita, Anna Zohra Berrached made it to the fest’s Main competition – and delivered an intense arthouse drama.
Astrid (Julia Jentsch) is a comedian who makes people laugh for a living; her husband Markus is her manager and the two of them work well together. They have a nine-year-old daughter and are expecting their second child. When they learn that their child will not be born healthy, they are at first optimistic that they will be able to meet this challenge – although they have no idea what awaits them. But the closer it gets to the due date, the more Astrid begins to worry about the future of her unborn child as well as that of her family and her career. After many discussions and arguments Astrid realises that the decision that will affect all their lives must be made by her alone.
The profound effect the film has on audiences is part due to the excellent performances, part due to using real doctors and real hospital environment in the most pivotal scenes of diagnosis.
As in her first film "Zwei Mütter" (Two Mothers), Erfurt-born director Anne Zohra Berrached’s second feature also explores the way in which women choose to live their lives, with no easy solutions to be found.
Christoph Gröner
PÖFF 2016: 24 Weeks
24 Wochen
Genre
Drama
Director
Anne Zohra Berrached
Run time
1h 42min
Genre
Drama
Director
Anne Zohra Berrached
Run time
1h 42min
The Surprise of this year’s Berlinale: with only the second long feature on her vita, Anna Zohra Berrached made it to the fest’s Main competition – and delivered an intense arthouse drama.
Astrid (Julia Jentsch) is a comedian who makes people laugh for a living; her husband Markus is her manager and the two of them work well together. They have a nine-year-old daughter and are expecting their second child. When they learn that their child will not be born healthy, they are at first optimistic that they will be able to meet this challenge – although they have no idea what awaits them. But the closer it gets to the due date, the more Astrid begins to worry about the future of her unborn child as well as that of her family and her career. After many discussions and arguments Astrid realises that the decision that will affect all their lives must be made by her alone.
The profound effect the film has on audiences is part due to the excellent performances, part due to using real doctors and real hospital environment in the most pivotal scenes of diagnosis.
As in her first film "Zwei Mütter" (Two Mothers), Erfurt-born director Anne Zohra Berrached’s second feature also explores the way in which women choose to live their lives, with no easy solutions to be found.
Christoph Gröner
Astrid (Julia Jentsch) is a comedian who makes people laugh for a living; her husband Markus is her manager and the two of them work well together. They have a nine-year-old daughter and are expecting their second child. When they learn that their child will not be born healthy, they are at first optimistic that they will be able to meet this challenge – although they have no idea what awaits them. But the closer it gets to the due date, the more Astrid begins to worry about the future of her unborn child as well as that of her family and her career. After many discussions and arguments Astrid realises that the decision that will affect all their lives must be made by her alone.
The profound effect the film has on audiences is part due to the excellent performances, part due to using real doctors and real hospital environment in the most pivotal scenes of diagnosis.
As in her first film "Zwei Mütter" (Two Mothers), Erfurt-born director Anne Zohra Berrached’s second feature also explores the way in which women choose to live their lives, with no easy solutions to be found.
Christoph Gröner
Info
Rating
(none)
Production year
2016
Global distributor
Beta Cinema
Local distributor
Pimedate Ööde Filmifestival MTÜ
In cinema
11/15/2016