At the “Förderpreis Neues Deutsches Kino” in Hof, the jury selected Max Gleschinski‘s film “Kahlschlag” (english title: A Clear Felling“) as the “best young German film“. The award was presented on 25 October 2018 during the 52nd International Hof Film Festival.
The jury justified its decision for “Kahlschlag” as follows:
“A seemingly classic love triangle unfolds in this film in a dramaturgical way as unusual as it is thrilling – something you haven’t seen in a German film for a long time. The film relies on the very own means of cinema, the power of images, montage and outstanding actors […]. The narrative is always one step ahead of the viewer and holds out until the surprising end.”
Synopsis:
Martin and Eric have a childhood friendship. Even as little boys they used to go fishing at the reservoir every Sunday, and even as children they fell in love with the same girl: Frenni. Today, 20 years later, Martin lives with Frenni in a quiet family home on his parents’ farm. The contact with Eric is broken off after a terrible incident, until one day he stands at their door and asks Martin for a last trip to the lake together. Reluctantly Martin comes along, but the trip soon turns out to be a journey into the heart of darkness. While the situation between the friends at the lake is getting worse and worse, Frenni is also alarmed and tries to get to the lake…
“Kahlschlag” by Max Gleschinski is top-class genre cinema from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with Florian Bartholomäi, Bernhard Conrad, Maike Johanna Reuter and Jan ‘Monchi’ Gorkow.
The film is as disturbing as it is surprisingly black-humorous genre cinema with depth, which a critic has aptly given the label “Fargo in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern“.
