The 1990s: Amid the chaos of the post-socialist East, East German car mechanic Andreas and Alexej, a border crosser from the former Soviet Union, team up to smuggle German cars into Russia. Among the ruins of their old homeland, they try to build a future for themselves. But the new capitalist game is brutal: West German investors buy up the GDR, while corrupt border guards and ruthless gangsters control all the smuggling. Andreas and Alexej are painfully stripped of their naivety and forced to realize that in this world, they never really had a chance.
For many, crossing the Mediterranean is their last hope of escaping war, persecution, and hunger. As more and more women are forced to take this deadly route, a midwife is now a permanent member of the crew of a sea rescue ship. While midwife Anne-Katrin takes part in her first mission, survivors recount the horrors of their journey. Their worlds briefly collide before the rescued women step into another uncertain future.
The adventurous story of the legendary photographer Mirella Ricciardi, who captured the vanishing beauty of life with her camera and now wishes to remain hidden behind the lens. Born in Kenya to European parents, she grew up amid the optimism and contradictions of a fading empire. Her photography from East Africa, later published under the title Vanishing Africa, brought her fame, but her work was also controversially received, as it was shaped by a colonial perspective. Now over 90 years old, she does not wish to show her face and accompanies the film with her voice and her memories.
Rainer Langhans – the old hippie with the long, white hair – is preparing for his death. The self-proclaimed last of the ‘68ers, co-founder of Commune 1, self-promoter, and contradictory outsider lives with his companions and rehearses dying. Through interviews with companions, siblings, and confidants, previously unpublished archive material, and offbeat, fictional scenes, a multi-layered portrait emerges – sometimes serious, sometimes ironic, always contradictory. How can this flamboyant media figure be captured? And what remains when the pose fades? A final look at an eccentric dreamer who always only wanted one thing: to be human.
A critical look at German missionary work in Namibia, which played a major role in the colonization of the country in the 19th century. Two young filmmakers from Namibia and Germany embark on a personal and historical search for traces of the missionaries in present-day Namibia. Both were raised as Christians but now have many critical questions and reservations, particularly regarding the spread of Christianity. Their countries are connected by a dark past—German missionaries are now considered pioneers of the colony of German South West Africa, present-day Namibia. On their journey, there are many encounters, archival discoveries, and, in the end, even more questions.
In conservative southwestern Germany, four people face a fundamental challenge in their quest to find a path to a happier life. In doing so, everything changes for them. At one point in their lives, they knew with every fiber of their being that things could not continue as they were and that a major change in their lives was necessary. Otherwise, there would be no escape from their emotional chaos and no hope for a happier future. Their names are Gabriel, Elisabeth, Melina, and Dunja. Before, they had different names, different lives, and different genders.
Franka is a punk—wild and loud—but her star is fading. Her younger sister Maya has retreated to their parents in the countryside and now lives somewhere between rubber boots, coffee on the sofa, and no desire for change. When Franka thinks she has seen their missing sister, Lilly, on the street one day, she feels compelled to at least try to “save” Maya. What follows is a chaotic road trip from Brandenburg to Berlin, a night full of arguments and laughter, old accusations, and new honesty. In the end, there is no solution, but maybe a new beginning. A raw snapshot of two women who are closer than they think.
Alain and Bruno don’t know each other and have nothing in common. Yet, they do share one thing: they are both complete outsiders. Shut out even from their own lives, they have no real contact with the world around them. In the eyes of others, they are practically invisible.
Niko doesn’t really know what he should do in life. Should he keep working at his father’s shop or become an actor? Or maybe just do nothing at all? And then there’s his girlfriend Lilli – and David, whom he’s only just met. Everything could be fine until a tragedy shakes up his life.
Four neighbors discover that their emotional struggles take on physical forms—creatures they attempt to conceal. As the creatures grow larger, an unexpected encounter reveals the neighbors are not alone in their experiences.
When a young fairy is about to get her wings, she becomes worried about the possibilities of failure. With the help of her brother, she learns that in order to grow she needs to be brave.
After a night shift in the factory, a man realizes that he is able to vomit coins. For two weeks, he collects huge amounts of coins in his apartment and drags himself into a luxury boutique with the last of his strength. The salesclerks are amazed by his unusual ability.
Johannes, a moderately successful musician, receives a visit from his daughter Clara, who lives with her mother in the Netherlands. Everything is prepared for one of their usual brief encounters: the guest room is aired out, and the bathroom has been haphazardly cleaned. Clara is just passing through anyway; she’s planning to travel on to Korea the next day. But when her flight is delayed, father and daughter suddenly have more time than they know how to fill. What happens when there’s suddenly space to truly connect? Johannes suggests spending a few days at the old family cabin by the Baltic Sea. What begins euphorically becomes a journey of discovery, where music plays the leading role.
The first week of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022: a sudden rupture when modern history begins anew. Observing three rear areas at different distances from the frontlines, three filmmakers capture fractured moments of daily life — a collective testimony of tragedy and awakening.
An inspiring documentary that follows a six-a-side football team dedicated to raising awareness for men’s mental health. Through their partnership with the charity Mind in Salford, FC Pique Blinders use sport to spark important conversations, challenge stigmas, and encourage men to seek help.
Samir, a young student from Hamburg, lives with his best friend in a shared apartment and is in a happy relationship. Everything seems normal—until one day he receives a notice to leave the country voluntarily. The news hits Samir like a hard blow, and overnight his dreams seem to vanish. When he finally tells his friends, however, it becomes clear that they will not let him go so easily.
In a remote town full of secrets and mysteries, a young man faces controversy after his secret relationship with a politician’s daughter is exposed. He must confront harsh consequences filled with deception, revenge, and unexplained events.