KinoTage: Sophie Linnenbaum - The Ordinaries

KinoTage for Schools

• 10:15 Arrival
• 10:30 Film
• 12:30 Lunch break
• 13:15 Workshop / Q&A
• 14:00 End

The Ordinaries
Paula lives in an unusual world: every person is a cinematic character – either a radiant main character, a reserved supporting character, or a disadvantaged outtake who must live in black‑and‑white and without music. Early on, we see Paula analysing an old film scene of her parents, revealing how deeply she thinks within this logic. Main characters live in luxury and constantly burst into musical numbers, supporting characters speak only standardised lines, and outtakes inhabit a run‑down district full of film references and eccentric figures. Director Sophie Linnenbaum has conceived this world down to the smallest detail – from jump cuts and Foley artists to a school where emotions are practised.

Paula attends the “Institute,” where she is supposed to learn how to become a main character herself. Her mother is a supporting character, her father a deceased main character. For her crucial exam, Paula must display strong emotions. When she discovers clues that call her family history into question, she begins to challenge the boundaries of her world. In doing so, she uncovers how differently the characters live and how unjust the rules are. Ordinaries blends humour, imagination, and social critique: the film explores what it means to find one’s way in a complicated world, and how courage, curiosity, and friendship can help you discover your own role.

Credits: Germany 2021/22, colour, 124 min. With English subtitles. Directed by Sophie Linnenbaum.

About the director:
Sophie Linnenbaum (born 1986 in Nuremberg) first studied psychology before transferring to the Film University Babelsberg in 2013 to study directing. There she created numerous short films that screened at international festivals and won multiple awards, quickly establishing her as a distinctive voice in German short filmmaking. Her debut feature The Ordinaries (2022) marked her breakthrough and introduced her to a wider audience.

Awards:
2022 Goethe‑Institut, Children’s and Youth Film Award for Sophie Linnenbaum
2022 Exground Filmfest, Audience Award “Best Film”
2022 Filmkunstfest Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern, DEFA Foundation Advancement Award
2022 New Faces Award Germany, “Best Director” for Sophie Linnenbaum
2022 Filmfest Munich, New Talent Awards “Direction” and “Production”