After the sensitive coming-of-age drama Somersault (2004), Australian Cate Shortland turns to a theme much further from home: the physical and mental ruins of Germany in 1945, directly after the capitulation. Yet this film is also about growing up and making choices. Lore is a girl with a firm faith in the values of her upbringing. That faith is put under pressure when, shortly after Hitler’s suicide, both her SS father and her mother disappear – probably thrown into jail. Lore is alone and has to get her younger sister and three little brothers to safety. With sensitive, glowing camerawork and a secure soundtrack, Shortland captures Lore’s state of mind. By consistently choosing the point of view of the girl, the film avoids making any all too easy moral judgements. Lore, an intimate story about indoctrination and the collapse of a world view, won the Locarno Festival’s audience award.
Film details
Countries of production
Australia, Germany, United Kingdom
Year
2012
Festival edition
IFFR 2013
Length
109'
Medium/Format
DCP
Language
English, German
Premiere status
None
Director
Cate Shortland
Producer
Karsten Stöter, Liz Watts, Paul Welsh, Benny Drechsel
Production design
Silke Fischer
Screenplay
Cate Shortland, Robin Mukherjee, based on a novel by Rachel Seiffert
Cinematography
Adam Arkapaw
Editing
Veronika Jenet
Sound design
Sam Petty
Music
Max Richter
Production company
Rohfilm Productions, Porchlight Films, Edge City Films Ltd.