22.04. ‐ 27.04.2025
LFFI19_Zukunft Deutscher Film_Das melancholische Maedchen_01

Das melancholische Mädchen

Susanne Heinrich

A young woman walks past a pastel-coloured, artificial studio backdrop with a vacant expression on her face. But she is mostly one thing: bored. Mostly of the men she uses for a place to sleep, but also has boring, and far too professional sex with from time to time. She waits for the end of capitalism at a bar and identifies her depression as a structural problem while her therapist only draws circles on paper. She never jokes, but still has humour.

In 14 episodes, in which every word is in exactly the right place, no story is told or character is drawn. Much more, the absurdity of a world filled with self-optimizing and self-fulfilling individuals is exhibited. At the end of the film, no releasing, cleansing catharsis is waiting.

Das melancholische Mädchen is formally unique and original, highly political and incredibly funny. The director Susanne Heinrich has searched and found a new filmic language in her first film. The result is Brechtian alienation through a postmodern, wildly colourful lens.

For that, she already received the prize for the Best Film and the prize by the ecumenical jury at the 40th Filmfestival Max-Ophüls-Preis.

More information Lichter FilmfestLichter Filmfest

Direction Susanne Heinrich
Year D 2019
Duration 80 min
Language original language german
Production Jana Kreissl, Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (dffb), Essential Filmproduktion GmbH
Cast Marie Rathscheck and more
Camera Agnesh Pakozdi
Script Susanne Heinrich
Editing Susanne Heinrich, Benjamin Mirguet
Music Moritz Sembritzki, Mathias Bloech

Presented by:



Hessian premiere

Future German Cinema

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