The Cinematheque

A bowling night, a misunderstanding, and a moment that changes two lives. Isaac, a twentysomething soldier, tries to improve his chances with an older woman by asking her younger sister Edith to bowl with him. When he playfully lifts her off a bench, she slumps to the floor. Only then does he notice the wheelchair. Driven by shame, Isaac later seeks her out and an unusual relationship develops between them, one full of compassion, hope, and a growing dependence. But the more Isaac tries to ​“heal” Edith, the deeper they both become entangled in a web of guilt, self-deception, and longing. Writer-director Lauro Cress here transposes Stefan Zweig’s 1939 novel Beware of Pity. An intense, impressive psychological drama about the longing for closeness, the limits of empathy, and the impossibility of living for others.

In German with English subtitles

Best Feature
Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis 2025