KOSCHKA

Free Family Matinee screening followed by  a discussion with Filmmaker Bernd Sahling.

Presented with the support of ELMA (European Languages and Movies in America and in cooperation with the Thomas Mann House.

FREE ADMISSION | TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE STARTING MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st @ 10.00 AM

Admission is free with above RSVP link | Capacity is limited | Light refreshments provided

RSVP holders will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.


KOSCHKA
Germany (2026) 74 min. German, Russian with English Subtitles.
Writer-Director Bernd Sahling
Assistant Director Martin Carolus Zillmann
Cinematography Sabine Ballnat, Piotr Rosołowski
Editing Evelyn Rack
Cast Sebastian Erbes, Ilkay Yalcin, Bella Mortlock, Benjamin Kramme, Boris Aljinović, Petra Kalkutschke, Theresa Scholze, Lea Gerstenkorn, Peter Brachschoss, Anna Bahners
Producers Meike Martens
Co-Producers Erik Lötsch, Grischa Sautter, Patrick Schorn
Production Company Blinker Filmproduktion GmbH (Köln)


Summer vacation is just around the corner, and eight-year-old Jan (Erbes) is set to go on a trip to the countryside with his mother and her new family. One day, while walking home with his best friend Sami (Yalcin), the two boys pass by a cat that unexpectedly follows Jan home, all the way into his apartment!  Jan and his father Jörg quickly do all they can to care for their new houseguest, whom Jan names Koschka, until the real owner can be found. When Koschka gives birth to three kittens, it becomes clear that everyone’s summer plans are on hold. Along with their friend Marta (Mortlock), Sami and Jan soon learn the joys and responsibility of caring for pets. An unexpected outbreak of fleas and Jan’s allergies lead Jörg to change his mind about keeping the feline family and insist that the cats go to a shelter. The children, however, spring into action, doing all they can to find Koschka’s owner and proper homes for her kittens.  Sahling’s film, which emerged from a concept developed in a film workshop for young people, is a heartwarming, family-friendly story about responsibility, independence, and friendship.
 
AWARDS 
66th Zlín IFF for Children and Youth Honorable Mention


  Bernd Sahling was born in Naumburg, East Germany. After a traineeship at the DEFA Studio for Feature Films, he worked as an assistant director on numerous children's films. From 1986 to 1991, he studied at the HFF "Konrad Wolf" in Babelsberg and served as assistant director under Helmut Dziuba and Rolf Losansky. From 1995-96 he studied screenwriting at Columbia College Chicago. His award-winning features DIE BLINDGÄNGER and KOPFÜBER and documentaries ALLES WIRD GUT and EDNAS TAG established Sahling as one of Germany’s prominent directors for children's and youth films. Since 2004, he has led film workshops with young people and has recorded podcast discussions on working methods in children's film. He is a member of the German Film Academy.

WORLD SALES
Blinker Filmproduktion GmbH
www.blinkerfilm.de


The GERMAN CURRENTS Film Festival 2026 is a co-production of the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles and the American Cinematheque with the support of The Friends of Goethe, ELMA (European Languages and Movies in America), Condor, the Consulate General of Switzerland in San Francisco, the Austrian Consulate General in Los Angeles, the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Los Angeles, Paulaner USA, Paulaner Sunset, Tupetz Wine Connection, KRUU.COM, and in cooperation with the German Consulate General in Los Angeles, the Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House e.V., the  German Film Office, the Wende Museum, and DEFA Film Library as well as our media partners Deutsche Welle, KPFK Radio, Campus Circle, and our educational outreach partners ELMA and Creating Creators.