The Forest for the Trees

Der Wald vor lauter Bäumen

2003｜Germany｜81min
In German with Chinese and English subtitles. Mainland China premiere

Full of ideals, Melanie arrives at a secondary school in Karlsruhe to take up her first job. She hopes to bring something new to the school, but is met with skepticism from her more senior colleagues, and the students quickly discover her weaknesses. Outside school, Melanie makes a point of befriending her neighbor Tina. Their friendship is pleasant at first, but soon runs into trouble: the more Tina distances herself, the more desperately Melanie tries to hold on. Gradually, loneliness closes in on her, for in Karlsruhe, clearly, no one has been waiting for her.

Directed by Maren Ade

Maren Ade was born in Karlsruhe, Germany, in 1976. With just three feature films, she has become one of the most important contemporary German directors. From 1998 she studied producing and directing at the University of Television and Film Munich, and in 2001 she co-founded the production company Komplizen Film. Alongside her work as a director, Ade has long been a producer, involved in films by directors such as Valeska Grisebach, Miguel Gomes, and Nadav Lapid. Her films explore intimate relationships, loneliness, social norms, and individual predicaments with keen observation.

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