THE GARDEN

THE GARDEN (SOMMERHÄUSER), 2017
Germany | DCP, Color, 97’ | German
Director: Sonja Maria Kröner
Cast: Thomas Loibl, Laura Tonke, Ursula Werner, Günther Maria Halmer, Christine Schorn

Summer of 1976, Germany. Eva and her husband Bernd take their children to grandmother Sophie’s summerhouse. Coming together to spend the summer at this house has been a long-standing family tradition. But this year is different: grandmother Sophie has recently passed away. Furthermore, a streak of lightning has hit the garden and wrecked a hundred year old tree. As the children are enjoying themselves, playing games, the adults are beginning to get restless. There is a certain uneasiness around the house even though no one dares to bring this up. When word comes around that a little girl has been lost, the family, which has been hanging on to one another by a thread begins to disintegrate. Shown at the Munich Film Festival last year, The Garden won the Best Production and Best Direction awards in the German Cinema category. The film was also a festival favorite for its atmosphere and cast performance.