DAS WOCHENENDE
Director: Nina Grosse
Feature film | D | 2012
97 min | Dolby Stereo
46th Hof International Film Festival
2012
No one was really prepared for the early release of former Red Army Faction terrorist Jens Kessler. During his 18 years in prison, his family, friends and ex-comrades had forged ahead with their lives, each coping in their own way with the misguided idealism of their youth; each projecting their own fantasies of heroism or failure onto Jens.
But now Jens is free. And for Inga, his great love and mother of his son, the past and present slam into each other during Jens’ first weekend in freedom. Not only Inga is tormented by conflicting emotions and unsolved issues; Inga’s husband, Jens’ sister and a former RAF comrade are also unsettled by the proud and inscrutable Jens. Why are they really spending the weekend in this secluded country house? Is it to finally make peace with the past? Jens doesn’t mince his words: he wants to know who betrayed him to the police back then. Old suspicions and accusations erupt with searing intensity. The situation escalates when Gregor, Jens’ son, unexpectedly arrives, forcing his father to confront him for the first time in his life. Hurling all his bitterness and rage at him, Gregor also presses his mother Inga to take a stand for or against Jens.
As the weekend draws to a close, it becomes chillingly clear to everyone involved that nothing will ever be the same again. And that this may be their salvation …