JOIN USThe German film, ‘After Five in the Forest Primeval’, was screened at the Bangalore International Centre, as part of the European Union Film Festival, recently.
A 1995 romantic comedy, the film is directed by Hans-Christian Schmid and stars Franka Potente.
The plot revolves around the life of 17-year-old Anna, who is seeking freedom from an urban set-up and runs away in the process.
Anna elopes with a boy who likes her but her parents, who had kept her under constant check, are anxious to find their daughter and start looking for her.
However, as they begin the search for their daughter, they reminisce and rummage through their past and remember their youth when they had done similar things.
The film has won several accolades like the ‘Bavarian Film Award’ in 1996.
It was Franka Potente’s first film and she won the award for the ‘Best Young Actress’. Full of subtle humour, the film made a comparison between two age groups and how the aspects of fun and freedom changed between them.
One of the scenes, where Anna’s mother reminds her husband of the kind of outings and parties they had when they were young, gave the audience a glimpse of their youth. Many in the audience could relate to the film.
“It was a great watch and somewhere, it reminded all of us about the kind of things we have done when we were young. Now, when our children do the same thing a bit differently, we feel it is bizarre. The film had a strong storyline and I can say it was an eye-opener for me. It is refreshing to see a movie based on a different subject,” says Ravindra K, who had come for the screening.
Many youngsters, who had come to watch the show, felt that it was a good medium to make people aware of the lifestyle Europeans lead. “The film was insightful and offered a glimpse into the lives, specifically women, lead in European countries.
The smaller festivals are helpful for students like us as we get to watch good movies from various countries and learn various things like cinematography, scripting etc,” says Naresh Pannyikar, a journalism student. The film was enjoyed by the audience and many could be seen discussing the film after it got over.