UCM.ONE has acquired the comedy “Together Apart” (Germany 2025, 94 minutes) by Alexander Conrads for world sales and theatrical distribution. The film celebrated its world premiere at the 59th Hof International Film Festival, where it was awarded the Friedrich Baur Gold Prize 2025.
The Friedrich Baur Gold Prize is awarded by the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts at the International Hof Film Festival “in memoriam Heinz Badewitz” for the best directorial achievement in a first feature film. With a certified gold bar worth a total of around 35,000 euros, the prize is one of the most highly endowed awards for young directors in the German-speaking world; it also includes a one-year mentoring program to provide artistic support for a new project. In 2025, the prize was shared and awarded jointly to Alexander Conrads’ “Together Apart” (“Zusammen ist man weniger getrennt.”) and Ina Balon’s “Plan F” – which is also being distributed worldwide by UCM.ONE.
Distribution is handled by the UCM.ONE film label Artkeim², which stands for very special films: works that stand out for their idiosyncratic style, unusual themes, or breaking of taboos, and which deliberately encourage reflection. Films on the label are not intended to be watched “in passing,” but rather to be experienced intensely and with attention; they represent arthouse films in the original sense.
Synopsis
The film centers on Sophie, an unsuccessful but all the more idealistic photographer, and Jojo, an equally unsuccessful but “not at all idealistic” actor: After eight years together, they have been separated for six months but continue to live together as a couple—they no longer sleep with each other but still share the same bed, without really changing the situation. It is only when Sophie’s mother Barbara—whom Sophie has kept the separation a secret from—makes her continued financial support conditional on Sophie and Jojo finally having a child that movement comes into the deadlocked relationship vacuum of the two millennials.
As an autobiographically inspired feature film debut, the film follows two aimless millennials as they belatedly “grow up” and uses humor, heart, and pointed dialogue about the difficulty of letting go of people, dreams, and visions of the future—and in doing so, turns the classic principle of romantic comedy on its head, as Sophie and Jojo have to realize that despite all their similarities, they are not meant to be together.
The film distributor UCM.ONE will release “Together Apart” in the second half of 2026 on its film label Artkeim² in theaters and for digital distribution.
Film details
| Title: | Together Appart (German original title: Zusammen ist man weniger getrennt.) |
| Directed and Screenplay by: | Alexander Conrads |
| Music: | Simon Conrads |
| Performers: | Abenaa Prempeh, Konstantin Gerlach, Amelie Barth, Amer El-Erwadi, Zoe Löhmann, Merlin Walden, Mira Wickert |
| Country of production: | Germany |
| Year of production: | 2025 |
| Running time: | 94 minutes |
| Language versions: | Original version |
| Original languages: | German |
| Subtitles: | English (in preparation) |
| Rating: | Approved for ages 12 and up (applied for) |
Selection of previous awards at festivals:
- 2025 – 59th International Hof Filmfestival: Friedrich Baur Gold Prize
Further information about the film label: Artkeim²
