LARA
GERMANY
2019 – DCP – color – 98’
Direction: Jan-Ole Gerster
Screenplay: Blaž Kutin
Cinematography: Frank Griebe
Editing: Isabel Meier
Set design: KD Gruber
Costumes: Anette Guther
Cast: Corinna Harfouch, Tom Schilling, André Jung, Volkmar Kleinert, Rainer Bock
Producers: Marcos Kantis, Martin Lehwald, Michal Pokorny
Production: Schiwago Film GmbH, StudioCanal Produktion
SINOPSIS
Lara’s day seems to start like any other — with a cup of tea and a cigarette. Still, today is a very special day for two reasons: Not only is it her 60th birthday, but for the first time, her son Victor is also giving a grand solo performance of piano music he composed himself. However, unlike Viktor‘s father Paul and his new girlfriend, Lara is not invited. Nevertheless, Lara has her own plans for the day. She buys the last tickets for the show and distributes them according to her very idiosyncratic ways. In any case, the events of the day unfold in a completely unexpected manner.
JAN-OLE GERSTER
THE DIRECTOR: Jan-Ole Gerster (1978) moved to Berlin in 2000 for an internship with the film production company X-Filme Creative Pool (Run Lola Run, The White Ribbon, Babylon Berlin). He subsequently became personal assistant to Wolfgang Becker during the production of Good Bye, Lenin!. In 2004 he began his studies at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin, where he majored in screenwriting and directing. His debut film A Coffee in Berlin celebrated its world premiere at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in July 2012 and became a surprise hit at the box office the following autumn, won numerous national and international awards, including the European Film Award for Best Debut Film. Lara is his second feature film.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
“(…) And I was curious why I felt so close to this sixty-year-old woman, who is troubled and nasty, but I felt so much for her. This was something I wanted to explore and discover. And I think there are so many hidden connections between me and the character that it almost felt like another autobiographical story. Working on Oh Boy was a process from the inside to the outside, while Lara was the other way around, I was trying to get to the core and essence of the story and character.
Corinna Harfouch was my only choice, to be honest. My decision on whether to make the movie or not was about her commitment. And a few years ago, I had a magical moment when I saw her in the theatre, which really brought her to my attention. I didn’t know her personally, but I sent her the script through her agents, we met and immediately clicked. She wanted to play Lara right away, which was really lucky for me.”
FILMOGRAPHY
- 2004 Der Schmerz geht, der Film bleibt (doc.)
- 2012 Oh Boy (A Coffee in Berlin)
- 2019 Lara
AWARDS
- 2019 Karlovy Vary IFF – Concorso Competition: Premio Speciale della Giuria Special Prize of the Jury, Miglior Attrice Best Actress, Premio della Giuria Ecumenica Award of Ecumenical Jury
- 2019 Munich FF: Premio FIPRESCI Prize
- 2019 Hamptons IFF – Concorso Film Narrativi Narrative Competition: Menzione Speciale della Giuria per l’interpretazione a Special Jury Mention for Acting Performance for Corinna Harfouch
- 2019 Ljubljana IFF: Menzione Speciale a Special Mention for Blaž Kutin
- 2019 Les Arcs European Film Festival – Concorso ufficiale Official Competition: Premio della Stampa Press Prize