SF Berlin & Beyond Festival 2024

[Chris Knipp]

Berlin & Beyond (San Francisco & Berkeley April 2024)

FESTIVAL REVIEWS SECTION

The 28th Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, presented by the Goethe-Institut San Francisco, will run April 18-20, 2024 at the historic Roxie Theater in San Francisco's Mission District, and April 21-22, 2024 at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley.

The Goethe Institut of San Francisco has announced the program of this year's Berlin & Beyond Festival, and here it is:

OPENING NIGHT FILM

One for the Road
North American Premiere with Director Markus Goller in Attendance
Directed by Markus Goller
Starring Frederick Lau, Nora Tschirner, Burak Yigit, Godehard Giese
Although in self-denial about his drinking problem, Mark seems to have easily mastered life between his demanding job as a construction manager and rambunctious forays into Berlin‘s nightlife. A distinctively authentic story about a man facing the obstacles of addiction. (115 min. Germany / 2023. In German with English subtitles)
CLICK to view trailer

CINEMA PANORAMA

Girl You Know it's True
North American Premiere
Directed by Simon Verhoeven
Starring Tijan Nije, Elan Ben Ali, Matthias Schweighöfer, Bella Dayne
Dancers Pilatus and Morvan rise to fame in the late 1980's, becoming stars with No.1 hits and winning a Grammy. The duo never sang a word in their songs. As the truth surfaces, it becomes one of the biggest scandals in music history. (124 min. Germany / 2023. In English, German, and some French with English subtitles)
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Ingeborg Bachmann – Journey into the Desert
(Ingeborg Bachmann - Reise in die Wüste)
Centerpiece Film | California Premiere
Directed by Margarethe von Trotta
Starring Vicky Krieps, Ronald Zehrfeld, Tobias Resch
The remarkable and charismatic Ingeborg Bachmann has conquered the male dominated bastion of German-language literature with her poetry. Amidst professional and personal friction in her relationships, she travels to the desert, where she finds a way back to herself and her writing. (110 min. Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, Jordan, Italy / 2023. In German with some French and Italian with English subtitles)
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Sophia, Death and Me. (Sophia, der Tod und ich)
San Francisco Closing Night Film | US Premiere
Directed by Charly Hübner
Starring Dimitrij Schaad, Anna Maria Mühe, Marc Hosemann, Johanna Gastdorf
Based on the bestselling novel by musician Thees Uhlmann: Reiner’s doorbell rings, and standing in front is Morten de Sarg, who is actually his death. Reiner's death is interrupted when the doorbell rings. It's Reiner's ex-girlfriend Sophia, who came to fetch Reiner for their scheduled train trip to visit Reiner's mother for a birthday surprise. Running against time to the train station, they set off on a wild journey that will change all their lives. (98 min. Germany / 2023. In German with some French with English subtitles)
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Sun & Concrete (Sonne und Beton)
Northern California Premiere
Directed by David Wnende
Starring Levy Rico Arcos, Riad Chemali, Rafael Luis Klein-Heßling
Based on the bestselling autobiography by Felix Lobrecht: Four teenage friends – Lukas, Julius, Gino and Sanchez – are trying to survive everyday life in Neukölln, Berlin, between drugs, gangs, rap, violence and boredom. One day, they are forced to make a decision with serious consequences. (119 min. Germany / 2023. In German with English subtitles)
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The Teachers' Lounge
Special Screening
Directed by İlker Çatak
Starring Leonie Benesch, Eva Löbau, Leo Stettnisch
When a series of thefts occur in a German middle school, and a staff investigation leads to accusations and mistrust among outraged parents, opinionated colleagues, and angry students, a young teacher is caught in the middle of complex dynamics. (95 min. Germany / 2023. In German with English subtitles)
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GOETHE FORUM

Hao Are You
North American Premiere | Documentary Feature Film
Directed by Dieu Hao Do
His mother blames communism, his uncle an inheritance dispute, the others fall silent. Director Dieu Hao Do explores the fragmentation of his family. The American War in Vietnam scattered them across three continents. Nearly 50 years after their escape, contact between the seven family members has all but broken down. How have traumas from persecution and violence inscribed themselves on the bodies and souls of the survivors and their children? (90 min. Germany / 2023. In German, Cantonese, and Vietnamese with English subtitles)
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SWISS FILM & TALKS

Late Bloomers Die Herbstzeitlosen)
Special Projection in 35 mm Film with Director Bettina Oberli in Attendance
Directed by Bettina Oberli
When four older women in Emmental decide to turn the local corner shop into a chic lingerie store, the whole community is thrown into disarray. (90 min. Switzerland / 2006. In Swiss German and German with English subtitles)
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Episode of 37 Seconds
To be announced: One episode of the TV series directed by Bettina Oberli will screen as part of the Swiss Film & Talks program, prior to the 35 mm projection of "Late Bloomers." (Germany / 2023. In German with English subtitles)

YOUTH 4 GERMAN CINEMA 2024 WINNER

Weekend Rebels (Wochenendrebellen)
US West Coast Premiere with Special Guest TBA
Directed by Marc Rothemund
Starring Cecilio Andresen, Florian David Fitz, Aylin Tezel
Mirco's family is advised to go to a special school for Jason, his autistic son. He makes a pact to make every effort to stay in school if Mirco helps him find a favorite football club. (89 min. Germany / 2023. In German with English subtitles)
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JUNIOR

The Flying Classroom (Das fliegende Klassenzimmer)
North American Premiere
Directed by Carolina Hellsgård
Starring Tom Schilling, Trystan Pütter, Hanna Herzsprung, Jördis Triebel, Leni Deschner
A contemporary vision of the classic novel by Erich Kästner: It tells the story of Martina. She takes up a scholarship at the Johann-Sigismund Gymnasium boarding school. She increasingly finds herself caught between the rivalry between the boarders and the "externals" from the local village. (119 min. Germany / 2023. In German with English subtitles)
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Thabo and the Rhino Case
Northern California Premiere
Directed by Mara Eibl-Eibesfeldt
Starring Litlhohonolofatso Litlhakayane, Ava Skuratowski, Kumkani Pilonti
Eleven-year-old Thabo wants to become a private detective like in the movies. If only his home, the small African village of Hlatikulu, was not the most peaceful savannah paradise. But things take a sudden turn when a rhino is murdered in the neighboring safari park because of its precious horn. (87 min. Germany / 2023. In English)
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[Chris Knipp]

ONE FOR THE ROAD (Markus Goller 2023)

A 35-year-old construction supervisor is good at his work, but his alcohol problem is endangering that. A DUI starts to make him think. Conventional recovery story, but the lead performance by Frederick Lau is creditable.

[Chris Knipp]

WEEKEND REBELS (Marc Mothemund 2023)

Based on a true story and a German bestseller about how a man and his ten-year-old autistic son, who has Asperger's, bond making a tour of top-level soccer games at stadiums all over the country and Europe in an effort to find a favorite team for the boy, so he can fit in at his mainstream school.

At Berlin & Beyond 2024.

Showtimes:
Apr. 19, 2024 at 10:00 AM – Roxie Theater, San Francisco (Invitation Only)
Apr. 19, 2024 at 12:45 PM – Roxie Theater, San Francisco (Invitation Only)

[Chris Knipp]

SONNE UND BETON/SUN AND CONCRETE (David Wnendt 2023)

Boys in the hood Berliner style. It's called Gropiusstadt, and the film follows four of them one hot summer early in the 2000's. Drugs, violence, rap, theft - trouble, and togetherness. This film fills a real need because, it seems, the Germans don't have a lot of films about this milieu. And it's very well done. Debuted at the Berlinale.

It opened theatrically in Germany October 26, 2023. Berlin &. Beyond Showtimes: To be announced.

[Chris Knipp]

INGEBORG BACHMAN: JOURNEY INTO THE DESERT (Margarethe von Trotta 2023)

Portrait of one of Germany's most prominent poets, intellectuals, and teachers, had a great influence though she died at only 47. This is a handsome production to tell her sotory, focusing on the time when she was involved with the playwright Max Frisch. Starring the much admired Vicky Krieps. However, Krieps isn't entirely convincing as an intellectual, and the whole thing is a bit low-wattage. Debuted at the Berlinale.

Part of the 28th Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, presented by the Goethe-Institut San Francisco, will run April 18-20, 2024 at the historic Roxie Theater in San Francisco's Mission District, and April 21-22, 2024 at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley.
Showtimes:
Apr. 20, 2024 at 6:30 PM – Roxie Theater, San Francisco
April 22, 2024 at 7:45 PM – Rialto Cinemas Elmwood, Berkeley

[Chris Knipp]

SOPHIA, DEATH AND ME (Charly Hübner 2023)

A high concept, dry humor piece about a man who'is visited by Death and stalls for time, going on a road trip to see his estranged seven-year-od son with his mother and ex-girlfriend in northern Germany.Adapted from a novel by the musician Thees Uhlmann.p

Part of the 28th Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, presented by the Goethe-Institut San Francisco, will run April 18-20, 2024 at the historic Roxie Theater in San Francisco's Mission District, and April 21-22, 2024 at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley. Showtime
Saturday,
April 20, 2024
9:00 PM
Roxie, San Francisco

[Chris Knipp]

HAO ARE YOU (Dieu Hao Do 2023)

Those interested in the diaspora of Vietnam's Chinese minority after the communists took over South Vietnam in 1975 will find this exploration of his family by the filmmaker indispensable. The peculiar thing is that so many branches of the family are not talking to each other. What caused this hostility? However, Do finds it hard to make the various cousins and aunts and offspring engaging, or even help us keep track of who is who.

Berlin & Beyond, San Francisco.:
Showtime:
Apr. 19, 2024 at 6:00 PM – Roxie Theater, San Francisco