Marianengraben screening;
Credit: Chronicle.lu
On Friday 11 October 2024, Samsa Film screened the Avant-Premier of Eileen Byrne's feature film debut MARIANENGRABEN, a co-production with Luxembourg, Austria and Italy, at Ciné Utopia in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg, in both screening rooms 1 + & 2.
Drama, 82 minutes, in German with FR & EN sub-titles.
Set in the Italian Alps, it tells the story of Paula (Luna Wedler) who has lost the will to live after her little brother Tim (Willie Vonnemann) drowned in Trieste. When she encounters old Helmut (Edgar Selge), a widower who wants to drive the ashes of his late wife to South Tyrol, she sees a way out - to go to Trieste and take her own life on Tim's birthday. However, during the journey, an unexpected friendship develops with Helmut - and her lust for life is reborn.
Primarily dealing with the issue of grief, the film is set around younger Paula who visits the grave of her younger brother on the anniversary of his death; in the early hours of the morning she meets the elderly Helmut who is actually a grave-robber who digs up the ashes of his dead wife to bring them home to where they first lived together.
With strong character development, the story is recounted in a sensitive way which also incorporates light-hearted moments, engaging the audience as it brings it along for the ride in what is, essentially, a road movie. But one with a difference; in addition to the two/three central characters, there are also a dog (Lucy) and a chicken that play prominent roles as the story plays out.
The lead actor, Luna Wedler, and the production team were in attendance, as were the director Eileen Byrne and producer Bernard Michaux who introduced the film, with Eileen Byrne leading teh post-screening discussion which also included a short audience Q&A.
MARIANENGRABEN will go on general release in Luxembourg from 23 October.
