Early Films by Maren Ade

Maren Ade has made only three feature films in the last 13 years – all of them making their mark on critics and public alike. With a fine sense of observation for the complexities of human beings and the intricacies of relationships, each film has further proven her talent. After directing several short films, Maren Ade first came on the radar with her 2003 graduation film The Forest for the Trees (Der Wald vor Lauter Bäumen) about a well-meaning but awkward neophyte teacher searching to make a difference. This was followed by her second award-winning feature, Everyone Else (Alle Anderen), a subtle, uncompromising, and at times humourous, look at a couple on the verge of separation. The film premiered in competition at the 2009 Berlinale where it won the Silver Bear for best director and prize for Best Actress. Finally, her last and third feature, Toni Erdmann, was resoundingly praised at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, bringing her a broader international recognition and recently a nomination for Best Foreign Film at the 2017 Oscars. The Goethe-Institut is proud to present once again Maren Ade’s two earlier feature films, The Forest for the Trees and Everyone Else to accompany the release of Toni Erdmann in Montreal.