THIS IS NO CHARACTER, THIS IS BETRAYAL
FIGUR - a delicate family story close to Romina's heart. I loved working in this team and the chance to play with light a bit more extensively than on the documentary productions I had done until here. Important references were the Östlund films shot by Frederic Wenzel and Tar by Floran Hoffmeister. From them I stole the naturalistic lighting style as well as the philosophy of taking a lot of care in selecting what locations would harmonize with the characters. I shot FIGUR on ARRI AMIRA and Zeiss High Speed Glass, with the 25mm as the main lense. The film was shortlisted for the German Short Film Award and screened at 50+ festivals, winning award after award, including many audience awards. The strong performances of Sebastian Urzendowski and Sabine Urig resonated with viewers - as well as the film's socially relevant themes of classism and entitlement in the art world.
Hairdresser Melanie drives her son Stefan, a young author, to his debut novel’s first reading. For Stefan, the trip becomes an argument about upward mobility, his relationship with his mother, and class shame. Meanwhile, Melanie feels a growing unease: Who is her son, and how can she navigate an environment completely alien to her?
***
13 min, 2.38:1, color, 2024
Directed by: Romina Küper
Written by: Romina Küper, Max Lindemann
Producer: Katharina Mumper, Isabella Müller De Paula, Maxine Paatzsch
Editor: Silvan Marty
DOP: Philipp Schaeffer
Mix: Frederic Hellmann
1st AD: Jonathan Schaller
Production Design: Rafael Loss
Costume Design: Eleonore Carriere
Gaffer: Leonard Wölf
1st AC: Chris Gruber
Grading: Maxime Demartin
Sound Design: Sirius Kestel
On Set Sound: Rachel Oker
Production Company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
WATCH TRAILER
THIS IS NO CHARACTER, THIS IS BETRAYAL
13 min, 2.38:1, color, 2024
***
FIGUR - a delicate family story close to Romina's heart. I loved working in this team and the chance to play with light a bit more extensively than on the documentary productions I had done until here. Important references were the Östlund films shot by Frederic Wenzel and Tar by Floran Hoffmeister. From them I stole the naturalistic lighting style as well as the philosophy of taking a lot of care in selecting what locations would harmonize with the characters. I shot FIGUR on ARRI AMIRA and Zeiss High Speed Glass, with the 25mm as the main lense. The film was shortlisted for the German Short Film Award and screened at 50+ festivals, winning award after award, including many audience awards. The strong performances of Sebastian Urzendowski and Sabine Urig resonated with viewers - as well as the film's socially relevant themes of classism and entitlement in the art world.
Hairdresser Melanie drives her son Stefan, a young author, to his debut novel’s first reading. For Stefan, the trip becomes an argument about upward mobility, his relationship with his mother, and class shame. Meanwhile, Melanie feels a growing unease: Who is her son, and how can she navigate an environment completely alien to her?
Directed by: Romina Küper
Written by: Romina Küper, Max Lindemann
Producer: Katharina Mumper, Isabella Müller De Paula, Maxine Paatzsch
Editor: Silvan Marty
DOP: Philipp Schaeffer
Mix: Frederic Hellmann
1st AD: Jonathan Schaller
Production Design: Rafael Loss
Costume Design: Eleonore Carriere
Gaffer: Leonard Wölf
1st AC: Chris Gruber
Grading: Maxime Demartin
Sound Design: Sirius Kestel
On Set Sound: Rachel Oker
Production Company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
WATCH TRAILER
THIS IS NO CHARACTER, THIS IS BETRAYAL
FIGUR - a delicate family story close to Romina's heart. I loved working in this team and the chance to play with light a bit more extensively than on the documentary productions I had done until here. Important references were the Östlund films shot by Frederic Wenzel and Tar by Floran Hoffmeister. From them I stole the naturalistic lighting style as well as the philosophy of taking a lot of care in selecting what locations would harmonize with the characters. I shot FIGUR on ARRI AMIRA and Zeiss High Speed Glass, with the 25mm as the main lense. The film was shortlisted for the German Short Film Award and screened at 50+ festivals, winning award after award, including many audience awards. The strong performances of Sebastian Urzendowski and Sabine Urig resonated with viewers - as well as the film's socially relevant themes of classism and entitlement in the art world.
Hairdresser Melanie drives her son Stefan, a young author, to his debut novel’s first reading. For Stefan, the trip becomes an argument about upward mobility, his relationship with his mother, and class shame. Meanwhile, Melanie feels a growing unease: Who is her son, and how can she navigate an environment completely alien to her?
***
13 min, 2.38:1, color, 2024
Directed by: Romina Küper
Written by: Romina Küper, Max Lindemann
Producer: Katharina Mumper, Isabella Müller De Paula, Maxine Paatzsch
Editor: Silvan Marty
DOP: Philipp Schaeffer
Mix: Frederic Hellmann
1st AD: Jonathan Schaller
Production Design: Rafael Loss
Costume Design: Eleonore Carriere
Gaffer: Leonard Wölf
1st AC: Chris Gruber
Grading: Maxime Demartin
Sound Design: Sirius Kestel
On Set Sound: Rachel Oker
Production Company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
