Arlette. Courage is a Muscle.

by Florian Hoffmann

    Synopsis

    A journey from Africa to Berlin turns into an unexpected journey from childhood to adulthood. The film centres around Arlette, a 15-year old girl from the Central African Republic who suffered severe injuries during the last war. In Berlin a surgery frees her from her year-long pain. This changes her both physically and mentally: suddenly Arlette is in her puberty.
    But then war breaks out again in her homeland. What was planned to be a short stay in Berlin turns into a journey without a foreseeable end. Alrette is forced to grow up and take her own decisions about her future. Stranded in Berlin the young girl faces the challenges of a foreign culture and a language she doesn't speak.
    This film is a long-term observation - told resolutely from the perspective of a young girl from the Central African Republic. And the viewer gets to see our everyday life through the genuine and honest eyes of Arlette.

    Festivals

    46th Vision du Reél -Festival International de Cinéma Nyon, Switzerland, 2015
    39th Duisburger Filmwoche, Germany, 2015
    26th Kinofest Lünen, Germany, 2015
    28th International Documentary Film Festival, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2015
    15th Docpoint Helsinki Documentary Film Festival, Finland, 2016
    32nd International Festival “Sarajevo Winter 2016”
    Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2016
    13th Dokumentarfilmwoche Hamburg, Germany, 2016
    31st DOK.fest Munich, 2016
    17th Stockholm International Film Festival, Sweden, 2016
    11th Afrykamera – African Film Festival, Warsaw, Poland, 2016
    9th Internationales Frauenfilmfestival Dortmund | Köln, Germany, 2016
    13th NEIßEFILMFESTIVAL, Reihe Spektrum, Germany, 2016
    3rd Dokka Dokumentarfilmfestival Karlsruhe, Germany, 2016
    Galway African Film Festival, Ireland, 2016
    BIFED

    Awards
    “Youth Jury Award”, 26th Kinofest Lünen, Germany, 2015
    “The Prize of the Ecumenical Jury”,
    “Special Mention in the Best Documentary Film Category”, New Berlin Film Award – 12th Achtung Berlin
    IFFF Dortmund | Köln - 9th Young Women Cinematographers Award Documentary for Katharina Diessner 2016