AFIRE Trailer (2023) Paula Beer, Thomas Schubert, Drama Movie

AFIRE Trailer (2023) Paula Beer, Thomas Schubert, Drama Movie

AFIRE Trailer (2023) Paula Beer, Thomas Schubert, Drama Movie
© 2023 - Janus Films

"I find the sea a bit spooky at night. Come with me." Sideshow + Janus Films have revealed a new official US trailer for the indie German film titled Afire for the US release. The latest film from German filmmaker Christian Petzold. Originally known as Roter Himmel (which translates directly to Red Sky in German), this first premiered at the 2023 Berlin Film Festival earlier this year where it won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize. A seaside vacation to the north of Germany takes an unexpected turn when Leon and Felix show up at Felix's family's holiday home to discover Nadja, a mysterious woman, already there. As an ever encroaching forest fire threatens their well-being, relationships are tested and romances are kindled. The film features Thomas Schubert as Leon, Paula Beer as Nadja, Langston Uibel as Felix, as well as Enno Trebs and Matthias Brandt. This is a great film, with some deeper themes in it about writing and love and romance and everything else. And of course, Paula Beer is the highlight, with the best performance in the whole film.
Via Berlinale: "Leon & Felix's plan was to spend the summer together in a holiday home on the Baltic coast. They wanted to be there as friends but also to work – one on his second book, the other assembling his art portfolio. But Nadja and Devid are also there, and they bring lots of positive vibes with them. Four young people experimenting with love, even though this does not come easy to Leon. His unfinished manuscript haunts him wherever he goes, whether he is at the summerhouse or the beach. The others' good mood often causes his to plummet. A visit from his publisher is imminent. But, as the latter arrives in his nifty small car, the forest begins to blaze. It rains ash, the sky turns red, and a drama that merges physical intensity and artistic sublimation takes a turn into a new dimension." Afire, also known as Roter Himmel (Red Sky) in German, is both written and directed by acclaimed German filmmaker Christian Petzold, of the films The State I Am In, Wolfsburg, Gespenster, Yella, Jerichow, Barbara, Phoenix, Transit, Undine previously. Produced by Anton Kaiser, Florian Koerner von Gustorf, and Michael Weber. This initially premiered at the 2023 Berlin Film Festival earlier this year. It already opened in Germany back in April. Sideshow + Janus will debut Petzold's Afire in select US theaters starting on July 14th, 2023 this summer. Who's interested?
Plot: What's the story about?
Afire is set at a small holiday house by the Baltic Sea. The days are hot and it hasn’t rained in weeks. Four young people come together, friends old and new. As the parched forests around them begin to ignite, so do their emotions. Happiness, lust and love; but also jealousies, resentments and tensions. Meanwhile the forests burn. And before long, the flames are there.
Christian Petzold’s Silver Bear winner “Afire” has received a new trailer.

The drama follows writer Leon (Thomas Schubert) and photographer Felix (Langston Uibel) who are surprised by a mysterious young woman named Nadja (Paula Beer) staying as a guest at Felix’s family’s holiday home by the Baltic Sea.

Nadja distracts Leon from finishing his latest novel and, with brutal honesty, forces him to confront his caustic temperament and self-absorption. As Nadja and Leon grow closer, an encroaching forest fire threatens the group. Meanwhile, tensions escalate when a handsome lifeguard and Leon’s tight-lipped book editor also arrive.

The movie stars Thomas Schubet, Paula Beer, Enno Trebs, Langston Uibel and Matthias Brandt.
“Afire” won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin Film Festival in February, where it also garnered solid reviews. The film is being released Stateside by Sideshow and Janus Films — which also released “Drive My Car” and “EO” in the U.S. — on July 14.

Petzold’s previous films include “Undine” (2020), “Transit” (2018) and Berlinale best director winner “Barbara” (2012).

In his review of “Afire,” Variety critic Guy Lodge wrote: “Thematically and politically, ‘Afire’ is less rigidly conceived than much of the German auteur’s recent work, though it shouldn’t be mistaken for a slight diversion. A surfeit of questions about human nature and need emerge from the mess of its characters and their charged, brittle interactions: Art, etiquette, sexuality and friendship are all up for discussion, between skin-salting swims and glugs of white wine.”