Das Haus meines Vaters

A woman brings coffee to a man sleeping in a car. The overall calm atmosphere, however, is accompanied by a touch of uncertainty. Why did the man spend the night in the middle of a meadow? What is the relationship between these two people? What might the man’s destination be when, even though he seems to be in a familiar place, it’s clear he’s somewhat at a loss? Although it treats the unnerving topic of addressing past accounts, the film seems rather to work with suggestion and an air of serenity that gradually give rise to more concrete information. Employing a unique perspective, this evocative and distinctive picture doesn´t seek to uncover hidden interests and subtexts – it “simply” allows time to flow by, without resorting to explicit dramatic effects. In their absence, even the impression of solitude is merely intuited, but extremely tangible nevertheless. The movie, which evokes the uncomfortable feeling that we’re home yet at the same time we feel out of place, was shot in real time with a significant dose of actor improvisation. And the role played in the story by the eponymous old house is far from negligible. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)