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Wenn du Angst hast nimmst du dein Herz in den Mund und lächelst

If You Are Afraid You Put Your Heart into Your Mouth and Smile
Forum 2025
© Nikolaus Geyrhalter Filmproduktion
Slowly, 12-year-old Anna and her deaf mum are starting to feel a bit cramped in their flat. It’s not just the lack of privacy that’s causing friction – Anna has just started secondary school and quickly realises what’s important now: brand-name clothes and a sense of belonging. She quickly gets hold of a fake Ralph Lauren jumper, but money’s still tight. In her debut, director and author Marie Luise Lehner stages a confrontation with classist structures, which Anna tackles with a mixture of shame and grit. She finds an ally in Mara, who challenges others with feminist issues and who also lives alone with her queer father. Lehner stands by her heroes unconditionally, giving them space for introspection and outbursts, allowing them to row back and reconcile. Not fitting in allows them to get to know and appreciate who they are. Lehner flies the flag of solidarity, quite naturally and with plenty of references to pop culture. And closes with a liberating “Fuck you, Vienna”, high above the city’s rooftops.
by Marie Luise Lehner (Director, Screenplay)
with Siena Popović, Mariya Menner, Jessica Paar Austria 2025 German, German Sign Language, English 87' Colour World premiere | Debut film Rating R 12

With

  • Siena Popović
  • Mariya Menner
  • Jessica Paar

Crew

Director Marie Luise Lehner
Screenplay Marie Luise Lehner
Cinematography Simone Hart
Editing Jana Libnik, Joana Scrinzi, Alexandra Schneider
Sound Design Lenja Gathmann
Production Design Julia Libiseller, Gerald Freimuth
Casting Martina Poel
Producers Katharina Posch, Michael Kitzberger, Wolfgang Widerhofer, Markus Glaser

Produced by

Nikolaus Geyrhalter Filmproduktion

Photos

Marie Luise Lehner

© Elsa Okazaki

Marie Luise Lehner was born in 1995 and lives in Vienna. A filmmaker, author and punk musician. After studying at the Institut für Sprachkunst at the University of Applied Arts, she studied screenwriting at the Film Academy Vienna. She is pursuing master’s degrees in directing at the Film Academy and in contextual painting at the Academy of Fine Arts. She has written scripts, prose and two novels. Her short films have been shown at various international film festivals and her literary works have received many prizes. Since 2012, she has caused a furore with her feminist punk band Schapka.

Filmography ( selection)

2016 Kaugummizigaretten (Candy Cigarettes) 2018 Geh Vau (Sexual Intercourse) 2020 Zwischenräume (Gaps) 2022 Mein Hosenschlitz ist offen. Wie mein Herz (The zip of my pants is open: Like my heart) 2023 Im Traum sind alle Quallen feucht (In their dreams all jellyfish are wet) 2025 Wenn du Angst hast nimmst du dein Herz in den Mund und lächelst (If You Are Afraid You Put Your Heart into Your Mouth and Smile)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2025