Film: Alle Anderen
Director: Maren Ade
Country: Germany
Released: February 2009
Runtime: 119 minutes
Genre: Romantic Drama
Studio: Komplizen Film
Influenced: Céline Sciamma, Christian Petzold, Ruben Östlund, Jan-Ole Gerster, Sebastian Schipper
German director Maren Ade has a made series of films about young women dealing with the challenges of modern life – whether that be work, love or family. Her debut feature The Forest For The Trees (2003) follows a young teacher struggling to adapt to her challenging new job and navigate the complex social dynamics of a rural school. Her second feature film, Alle Anderen (2009), or Everyone Else, explores the complexities of a young couple's relationship during a holiday abroad, while her third film Toni Erdmann (2016) is about a workaholic daughter having to cope with her ageing prankster father. Ade co-founded the production company Komplizen Film, which was behind all three films and has also supported other independent filmmakers. Ade's films have become widely praised for their humour, authenticity and unflinching portrayal of human flaws, mixing comedy and drama to conjure up her signature style.
Alle Anderen's plot follows the lives of Gitti (Birgit Minichmayr) and Chris (Lars Eidinger), a young German couple on holiday together in Sardinia. Their seemingly idyllic relationship undergoes strain as they confront issues of personal identity, social expectations and the complexities of love. The film meticulously observes the couple's interactions, revealing the nuances of their emotional connection and the challenges they face while navigating the expectations of family & friends. One notable scene occurs when they are invited round to dinner by another German couple, leading to a palpable discomfort and a sense of inadequacy. The dynamics between the couples reveal underlying tensions and insecurities. The film has a notable affinity with Bergman's Scenes From A Marriage (1973), especially in relation to its intimate portrayal of the highs and lows of a relationship, as well as the arguments and moments of vulnerability. In both films, the characters grapple with external pressures that impact their sense of self and their connection with each other.
Alle Anderen takes a naturalistic approach, capturing the minutiae of everyday life and the subtleties of human interactions. The couple's discussions and arguments are marked by a rawness that adds to the authenticity of the narrative. The picturesque backdrop of Sardinia is also used by Ade to contrast with the emotional turbulence within their relationship, creating a poignant atmosphere. In this respect, the film is similar to Rossellini's Viaggio in Italia (1954), but Ade is more subtle and less overbearing in her use of "psychotopography". The film's cinematography, helmed by Bernhard Keller, contributes to the immersive experience by capturing the scenic beauty of Sardinia, while Ade's deliberate use of improvisation helps to create an atmosphere where the actors respond authentically to each other. This is perhaps best illustrated by one of the film's funniest and most iconic scenes, when Chris sculpts a piece of ginger root to look like a penis – which gets named, Schnappi – and Gitti's response to this is hilarious.
Alle Anderen received critical acclaim, both at home and internationally, and won several awards, including the Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Silver Bear for Best Actress. The film garnered praise for its realistic dialogue and the nuanced performances of its lead actors, Birgit Minichmayr and Lars Eidinger. The film's success partly resides in its ability to resonate with audiences by virtue of its raw, relatable and universal depiction of love, making it a standout film in contemporary European cinema. Ade's work raises important questions about human connection, social alienation, male insecurity and the complexities of modern life. Ade also creates moments of quirky but profound humour, a trait that would come to the fore in Toni Erdmann, which was showered with awards and also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2017 Oscars. That film's naked party scene is among my favourite moments in 21st century cinema.
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