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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

DVD-Details

Extras
Interview with Georg Friedrich (GER 2009, 5 min), Photogallery, Trailer
Language
German
Subtitles
English
Country Code
Code-free
System
PAL / Color
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Sound Format
DD 2.0 + 5.1
Set Content
Softbox (Set Content: 1)
Release Date
21.8.2009
Rating
From 12 Years