GER24 Foreign Language

Synopsis

The acclaimed new drama from Camera d’Or-winning writer/director Claire Burger, FOREIGN LANGUAGE depicts the bittersweet and boundary-testing friendship between two 17-year-old schoolgirls —one German, one French – as they grapple with how to understand themselves and others around them in a post-pandemic world.

The shy and withdrawn Fanny is looking for a fresh start when she arrives in Leipzig by train from Strasbourg as part of a foreign exchange program, where she is staying at the home of her pen pal Lena, a political activist in training, and her single mother (Nina Hoss). The teens don’t immediately hit it off; but they soon develop a strong, life-changing bond, encouraging one another’s rebellious streaks in increasingly provocative ways. But when it is time for Lena to return the visit and stay with Fanny and her well-meaning parents in France, things begin to unravel...

A compelling journey through not only the preoccupations of today’s adolescents, but also Franco-German relations, Burger’s fresh and dynamic film confirms her promise as one of European cinema’s brightest new voices.

Awards

OFFICIAL SELECTION – Berlin International Film Festival 2024 (In Competition) 

NOMINEE – Best Film: Golden Berlin Bear, Teddy Award, Berlin International Film Festival 2024 

Reviews