GOETHEFEST 2025 • Friday, December 5th
19:00 Sieger Sein / Winners
Germany, 2024, 119’
Director: Soleen Yusef
Cast: Dileyla Agirman, Andreas Döhler, Sherine Ciara Merai, Tamira Bwibo, Halima Ilter, Hêvîn Tekin, Peri Baumeister, Alireza Ahmadi, Carina Wiese, Fatima Hamieh…
Eleven-year-old Mona and the rest of her seven-member Kurdish family have fled Syria and ended up in Berlin. Or, more precisely, the neighbourhood of Wedding where Mona is sent to a notorious primary school attended by 90 percent “foreigners”. Chaos reigns in the school. Most of the teachers are having a nervous breakdown and frustration levels amongst the pupils are growing by the day. Mona feels it, too. She can barely speak German, but she can speak football. In her hometown, she often played street football with her mates. She misses her home, her friends and especially her aunt Helin. She was Mona’s hero who always supported her passion for football. Everything is different in Germany. Then a dedicated teacher called Mr Che recognises Mona’s special talent and selects her for the girls’ team. But this well-intentioned gesture fails to make things any easier. Mona is quickly identified as an outsider and playing in a team with the other girls turns out to be more difficult than expected. Each of them is fighting their own battles but one thing soon becomes clear: they will only win if they all play together.
Festivals / Awards: Berlin International Film Festival, European Film Awards – Nominee Young Audience Award; German Film Awards – Outstanding Children or Youth Film; Luxembourg City Film Festival – School Jury Award; International Film Festival for Children and Young Audience SCHLiNGEL – Honorable Mention; São Paulo International Film Festival, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Luxembourg City Film Festival…
21:00 KARLA
Germany, 2025, 104’
Director: Christina Tournatzès
Actors: Elise Krieps, Rainer Bock, Imogen Kogge, Torben Liebrecht, Katharina Schüttler…
Munich, 1962. In a society bound by silence and shame, 12-year-old Karla makes a remarkable yet unusual decision: she brings her abusive father to court. Refusing to be silenced, she insists on telling her story in her own way, choosing what to reveal and what to leave unsaid. Based on a true story, the film lays bare both the courage of a child seeking justice and the societal taboos that conspire to keep her quiet. Christina Tournatzès’ film portrays this landmark court case with restraint and emotional precision, transforming it into a deeply human exploration of trauma, truth, and agency. In the leading role, Elise Krieps, daughter of international star Vicky Krieps, leaves a lasting impression, embodying Karla’s quiet defiance with extraordinary depth.
Festivals / Awards: Munich International Film Festival – German Cinema New Talent Award for Best Director, German Cinema New Talent Award for Best Screenwriter; Thessaloniki Film Festival – Best Screenplay, Audience Award, FIPRESCI Prize; International Film Festival for Children and Young Audience SCHLiNGEL – Best German Language Feature Film…
