"Ester Amrami's Berlinale entry 'Anderswo' truly touched the jury with its sensitive and engaged voice commenting on borders and the inbetween and with its pensive but humorous view on things," this year's Berlinale jury swooned when awarding the prestigious „Dialogue en perspective“ prize to the young fimmaker fresh out of Film & TV Academy Potsdam.
Imagine you left your home to move far away. You got carried away by a wind of change and became untrue to yourself. You reinvented yourself and felt free. All of a sudden though, pressure arises within you; at first a slight longing which soon becomes a gaping hole. The feeling is distinct, almost tangible, however, you cannot describe it. Words fail you. You return to where everything began, your home, yet the terrible void remains and you begin to wonder: was it always part of me?
"Anderswo" tells of Noa’s search for her place in life in a touching manner which combines drama and comedy. The movie is driven by its devotion to the protagonists and it casually moves the audience to contemplate universal themes such as
homeland, love, language and belonging.
Berlin-based Israeli director Ester Amrami has experience in the geographic and cultural inbetween:
"After 10 years in Berlin, I can say that it isn’t easy to live in a foreign country. But then again, living isn‘t so easy in general. No matter where. My characters search for their place too, not only in a geographical sense. Each character comes with their own load, carries it somewhere or tries to unload it somewhere. For every single one of them I feel great affection and I can understand their whims, their fears and their uniqueness. I don‘t judge them, because beyond all moral and political issues, they try to come to terms with themselves. And that is hard enough."
Other German films and co-productions playing at TJFF:
Farewell Herr Schwartz (Heye Shalom Peter Schwartz), directed by Yael Reuveny, Israel/Germany 2013
Sister and brother, Michla and Feiv’ke Schwartz were supposed to reunite at the Lodz train station after World War II, but for some reason, they didn’t. Michla ends up in Israel, while Feiv’ke would remain in Germany, changing his name to Peter Schwartz and living in the same village as the concentration camp to which he was deported during the war. Filmmaker Yael Reuveny traces how three generations of a family would be haunted by this meeting that never happened
Monday May 5, 2:30 pm ROM Eaton Theatre
Thursday May 8, 6:00 pm Cineplex Empress Walk Cinemas
Run Boy Run (Lauf Junge Lauf), directed by Pepe Danquart, Germany/France/Poland 2013
Academy Award®-winning German filmmaker Pepe Danquart tells the true story of 9-year-old Srulik, who escaped from the Warsaw ghetto in 1942 and learned to survive in the nearby woods. Based on Uri Orlev’s 2004 novel.
Monday May 5, 5:00 pm Famous Players Canada Square
Wednesday May 7, 6:30 pm ROM Eaton Theatre
Russian Disco (Russendisko), directed Oliver Ziegenbalg, Germany 2012
An upbeat, funny and romantic charmer featuring colorful characters and a contagious soundtrack of gypsy punk music. The wall has come down. Vladimir and his friends move to Berlin after hearing that Soviet Jews are now free to immigrate to Germany. With the possibility of a fresh start, the three navigate the waters of first loves and new-found independence, and try to find a place for themselves in this new world. Based on Berlin's Wladimir Kaminer's by now legendary pop culture books and parties.
Monday May 5, 8:00 pm Famous Players Canada Square
Wednesday May 7, 8:45 pm Hot Docs Bloor Cinema
Friends From France, directed by Anne Weil and Philippe Kotlarski; France/Germany/Canada/Russia 2013
Igor and the Cranes’ Journey, directed by Evgeny Ruman; Israel/Germany/Poland 2012
The Real Shlemiel, directed by Albert Hanan Kaminski; Germany/France/Hungary 1997
by Jutta Brendemühl
image: Anderswo, courtesy of TJFF
