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Roter Himmel

Afire
Competition 2023
© Christian Schulz / Schramm Film
Leon and Felix’s plan was to spend the summer together in a holiday home on the Baltic coast. They wanted to be there as friends but also to work – one on his second book, the other assembling his art portfolio. But Nadja and Devid are also there, and they bring lots of positive vibes with them. Four young people experimenting with love, even though this does not come easy to Leon. His unfinished manuscript haunts him wherever he goes, whether he is at the summerhouse or the beach. The others’ good mood often causes his to plummet. A visit from his publisher is imminent. But, as the latter arrives in his nifty small car, the forest begins to blaze. It rains ash, the sky turns red, and a relationship-drama that merges physical intensity and artistic sublimation takes a turn into a new dimension.
This second part of Christian Petzold’s trilogy begun in 2020 with Undine, is about not being able to sleep and wanting to love; about writing and being read; about being in the world and yet possibly allowing life to slip by. A film that is suspended between symbolism and realism, both funny and deeply tragic.
by Christian Petzold
with Thomas Schubert, Paula Beer, Langston Uibel, Enno Trebs, Matthias Brandt Germany 2023 German 103’ Colour World premiere

With

  • Thomas Schubert (Leon)
  • Paula Beer (Nadja)
  • Langston Uibel (Felix)
  • Enno Trebs (Devid)
  • Matthias Brandt (Helmut)

Crew

Director Christian Petzold
Screenplay Christian Petzold
Cinematography Hans Fromm
Editing Bettina Böhler
Sound Design Dominik Schleier, Adrian Baumeister, Lars Ginzel
Sound Andreas Mücke-Niesytka
Production Design Kade Gruber
Costumes Katharina Ost
Make-Up Hannah Fischleder
Casting Simone Bär
Assistant Director Ires Jung
Production Manager Dorissa Berninger
Producers Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber, Anton Kaiser

World sales

The Match Factory

http://www.the-match-factory.com http://www.the-match-factory.com

Produced by

Schramm Film Koerner Weber Kaiser

http://www.schrammfilm.de http://www.schrammfilm.de

Photos

Press Conference

Red Carpet

Christian Petzold

© Christian Schulz Schramm Film

Born in Hilden, Germany in 1960, he has lived in Berlin since 1981. He studied German and drama at Freie Universität Berlin and then, from 1988 to 1994, film at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (DFFB). He directed his first feature film in 1995. Made in 2000, his film The State I Am In won Gold at the German Film Awards; he was awarded the Silver Bear for Best Director for Barbara in 2012. Undine marks his fifth film to be presented in the Berlinale Competition and, following Transit, his second collaboration with Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski.

Filmography

1995 Pilotinnen 1996 Cuba Libre 1998 Die Beischlafdiebin 2000 Die innere Sicherheit (The State I Am In) 2001 Toter Mann (Something to Remind Me) 2002 Wolfsburg 2003 Wolfsburg 2005 Gespenster (Ghosts) 2004 Gespenster (Ghosts) 2006 Yella 2007 Yella 2008 Jerichow 2011 Dreileben – Etwas besseres als der Tod (Dreileben – Beats Being Dead) · Dreileben – Etwas Besseres als den Tod (Dreileben – Beats Being Dead) 2012 Barbara 2014 Phoenix 2018 Transit 2020 Undine 2023 Roter Himmel (Afire)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2023