With our preview of
Maren Ade’s
Toni Erdmann coming up on 25 January, we are delighted to present her critically acclaimed first feature film.
Full of idealism, Melanie, a young teacher from the countryside, starts her first job at a high school in the city. The daily school routine soon catches up with her; her idealism is challenged, things are much tougher than she had imagined. Apart from one colleague, Thorsten, who does his best to make her feel welcome, she has little contact with the rest of the staff. When she gets to know Tina, she seems to get in touch with her new surroundings. But her expectations are not fulfilled as quickly as she would hope. And the more Melanie tries to become Tina's friend, the more Tina starts to hide.
The Forest for the Trees starts out as a well-observed story about an enthusiastic young woman, but ends as a tragic portrait of a human being.
Already in her first film Maren Ade shows her knack for observing the nuances in the releations between people and the potential for misunderstandings as well as her gift for presenting these in all their awkwardness without ever making fun of her characters.
Germany 2003, colour, 81 mins. With English subtitles.
Directed by Maren Ade. With Eva Loebau, Daniela Holtz, Jan Neumann, Ilona Schulz, Robert Schupp.
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