Films
2024 FESTIVAL FILMS
The 28th Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, presented by the Goethe-Institut San Francisco, ran 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. Berlin & Beyond Streaming ran April 23rd-25th.
OPENING NIGHT FILM
One for the Road
North American Premiere with Special Guest Markus Goller
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)
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CINEMA PANORAMA
Girl You Know it’s True
North American Premiere with Special Guest Fab Morvan
Directed by Simon Verhoeven
Starring Tijan Nije, Elan Ben Ali, Matthias Schweighöfer, Bella Dayne
The highly anticipated Milli Vanilli story comes to the big screen: 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 & 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)
View Trailer | Order Streaming
Sun and Concrete (Sonne und Beton)
Northern California Premiere
Directed by David Wnendt
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)
View Trailer | Order Streaming
The Teachers’ Lounge
Special Screening
Directed by İlker Çatak
Starring Leonie Benesch, Eva Löbau, Leo Stettnisch
2024 Academy Award Best International Feature Film nominee: 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 Special Guest Bettina Oberli
Directed by Bettina Oberli
Starring Monica Gubser, Annemarie Düringer, Stephanie Glaser, Heidi Maria Glössner
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 1 of The Night in Question (37 Sekunden)
The first episode of the dramatic 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
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)
View Trailer | Invitation-Only Screening for Partnering Schools
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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SHORTS 2024: WHERE DO WE GO?
79 min. | Order Streaming
I Was Never Really Here
Dir. Gabriel B. Arrahnio 23 min. Germany [2022]
German & English with English subtitles
Sam, a 17-year-old German- Ghanaian, and his mother, welcome two visitors. Sam is confronted with questions about his origins and identity, and also begins to fall in love.
Invisible Border (Die unsichtbare Grenze)
Dir. Mark Gerstorfer 27 min. Austria [2022]
German with English subtitles
Student Academy Award 2023 (Narrative Gold): A deportation in Vienna in the middle of the night. Police officer Nancy and her colleague Albert have the task of evicting an Albanian family.
Istina (Truth)
Dir. Tamara Denic 29 min. Germany, Serbia [2023]
English, German & Serbian with English subtitles
Student Academy Award 2023 (Narrative Bronze): Belgrade, 2022: A photo-journalist threatened by right-wing extremist groups in her Serbian home, flees to Germany with her daughter.
SHOWTIMES
Thursday, April 18, 2024: Roxie Theater, San Francisco
6:00 PM: One for the Road
9:15 PM: Sun and Concrete
Friday, April 19, 2024: Roxie Theater, San Francisco
10:00 AM: Weekend Rebels
12:45 PM: Weekend Rebels
6:00 PM: Hao Are You
8:15 PM: Girl You Know It’s True
Saturday, April 20, 2024: Roxie Theater, San Francisco
12:45 PM: The Teachers’ Lounge
3:00 PM: Late Bloomers (35 mm projection) with The Night in Question (episode 1)
6:30 PM: Ingeborg Bachmann – Journey Into the Desert
9:00 PM: Sophia, Death & Me
Sunday, April 21: Rialto Cinemas® Elmwood, Berkeley
11:00 AM: Thabo and the Rhino Case
1:00 PM: The Flying Classroom
Monday, April 22: Rialto Cinemas® Elmwood, Berkeley
5:30 PM: One for the Road
7:45 PM: Ingeborg Bachmann – Journey Into the Desert
April 23-25, 2024: Online Streaming
• Shorts Program 2024: Where Do We Go?
• Sophia, Death & Me
• Sun and Concrete
TICKETS
Streaming (April 23-25):
$15.00
San Francisco Opening Film – “One for the Road“:
$30.00 general / no discounts
Berkeley Opening Film Encore – “One for the Road“:
$22.00 general / no discounts
Main Feature Films:
$17.00 general
$14.00 senior (with ID) / ADA (with ID)
$10.00 student (with ID – at door only)
San Francisco FestPass
(Roxie festival screenings on April 18-20 with priority entry. Not including Youth 4 German Cinema):
$140.00 general / no discounts
Berlin & Beyond Junior (Family Matinée on Sunday, April 21st):
$10.00 general / no discounts
Youth 4 German Cinema 2024:
By invitation only and for participating schools
