"t=E/x²" with Jasmin Wagner and Mario Ganss

The film “t=E/x²” by Andreas Z. Simon with Jasmin Wagner, Mario Ganss and Götz Otto is available everywhere from today on DVD as well as digitally.

“t=E/x²” was created as a typical independent film project, supported by a crowdfunding campaign and the Hessian Film Fund. It then premiered as a feature film at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood in 2021 and has since won various independent film awards worldwide. The main roles are played by Mario Ganss (“Sparschwein Rüdiger“, ZDF; “Singalarm“, KIKA), Götz Otto (“James Bond 007 – Tomorrow Never Dies“, “Iron Sky“) and Jasmin Wagner (singer “Blümchen“). The psychedelic time-loop pop-art steampunk puzzle film probably holds the world record for the most backwards scenes within a feature film.

Summary

Merlin (Mario Ganss) is working as an editor at a film production company when he realises that he is stuck in a time loop lasting several minutes. When he meets Ava (Jasmin Wagner), a mute woman who also knows about the time loop, they both plunge into a battle between past and future. Their mission: “Kill the clown and save the mermaid!”

The story tells of time loops that last only a few minutes. The audience experiences the story from the perspective of Merlin and Ava in real time: only a few minutes forward at a time – then time runs backwards. These time loops are interrupted by flashbacks to Ava and Merlin’s past. In this way, the plot continues to assemble in the audience’s mind’s eye – like a jigsaw puzzle made up of pieces of time.

We are all time travellers: Every second we travel a little further into the future. And the more we are aware of this, the more we can direct how we want to shape our future.”

Director’s Statement by Andreas Z. Simon

“t=E/x² tells the story of two people in a three-minute time loop, consistently in real time – and always 3 minutes forwards, then 3 minutes backwards – and then from the beginning again. There has probably never been so much repetition and so many backwards scenes in a film. The non-linear narration of the interspersed flashbacks, the fact that only one of the two main characters can speak and the wild genre mix of chamber play and fantasy film with a steampunk touch are also unusual – and yet for me also very personal.

In this film I was able to revisit and deepen elementary themes from my previous short films and music videos. What is reality? What is time? How do we use our lives? What would happen if the causality of things were suspended? Would we change or stay as we are? At the same time, I was able to set the story in my own life reality: My hometown of Frankfurt in combination with the sometimes quite dreary everyday life of a television producer who shifts timelines on the computer.”

Trailer

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Comments about the movie

“Twisted fantasy fairy tale” (Wiesbadener Kurier)

“Clever story, (…) adept cinematography” (Filmfestivals.com)

“Merlin, as a carnival sheriff, must save a mermaid and defeat a horror clown. Sounds like a drug trip, looks like one too.” (Darmstädter Echo)

“Mesmerizing and unique t=E/x² blazes new paths.” (Cinéciné – Zsofi Film Reviews)

Prizes won

Best Director Debut: Qosm Film Fest, USA

Best Science Fiction Film: Awesome Film Festival, USA

Best Debut Film: World Film Carnival, Singapore

Best Actor (Mario Ganss): Berlin Sci Fi Film Festival