West

West / Westen, 2013

Director: Christian Schwochow

Color, 102'

Christian Schwochow, whom avid cinephiles will remember with his "Cracks in the Shell" (Die Unsichtbare), directs an adaptation of Julia Franck's novel telling a mother and son story. The main character of the film that begins in the late 1970s is Nelly, who decides to escape from East Germany to the West and leave behind her troubles, and thus arranges a false marriage. She manages to arrive in West Berlin with her son, but alas, it does not prove so easy to adapt to this new world. Nelly’s past catches up with her, drawing her into a web of political intrigue and paranoia. “West” premiered in last year’s Montréal Film Festival, winning its lead star Jördis Triebel the Best Actress awards both in this festival and in the German Film Awards.

* Screened in collaboration with Limon Productions