
The Unpolished
GER 2007, 95 min
An ambivalent childhood ...
Synopsis
Stevie, a precocious 14-year-old girl must cope with the instabilities of her immoderate parents. When they decide to move to a small provincial town in Germany, Stevie attempts to slip into a normal life. Whilst her parents playfully escape their responsibilities, Stevie tries to make a good impression in town, spreading stories of grandeur and claiming to be the daughter of a diplomat. She makes progress. Yet the good weather doesn’t last and before long, she discovers that her parents have once more resorted to illegal means, as a way of supporting their leisurely lifestyle. As friends and hangers-on of her parents fill their new home, the chaos continually mounts. It is in this atmosphere of physical and emotional destruction, that Stevie must now take a decision.
THE UNPOLISHED tells the story of a girl caught up in a complicated adult world. A world in which the child-parent-roles have been washed away and responsibilities are thrown back and forth.
Streaming-Info
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Language: German, Subtitles: English
Press reviews
A confident debut feature...marks Marais out as a distinctive voice! – Screen Daily, Jonathan Romney
THE UNPOLISHED is humanist filmmaking of the highest order. – Brad Stevens
Awards and Festivals
– Tiger Award Rotterdam 2007
– Best First Feature Award - Durban 2007
– Crossing Europe Award - Linz 2007
– Signis Award - Buenos Aires International Film Festival 2007
– Best Actress Award & Special Jury Mention - Cine Las Palmas 2007
Credits
Director
Pia Marais
Screenplay
Pia Marais, Horst Markgraf
With
Céci Chuh, Birol Ünel, Pascale Schiller, Georg Friedrich, Joana Preiss, Joseph Malerba, Johanna Gastdorf, Dieudonné Kabonga
Director of Photography
Diego Martinez Vignatti
Editor
Daniela Boch, Mona Bräuer
Music
Jochen Arbeit, Yoyo Röhm, Horst Markgraf
Producers
Claudia Steffen, Christoph Friedel
Produced by
Pandora Film
In Coproduction with
WDR, SWR
World Premiere
27.1.2007, Rotterdam, IFF
German Premiere
26.6.2007, München, Filmfest
German Theatrical Release
27.12.2007