Arlette is a 15-year-old girl from the Central African Republic all too familiar with the horrors of war. A support group enables her to get medical treatment in Berlin. While war flares up once again back in her native country, she faces the challenge of being unable to make herself understood in an unfamiliar culture. She remains in Berlin not knowing when she will leave, discovering a totally new environment, experiencing fluctuating emotions.

Jury comment on decision:
»Arlette‘s strong presence on screen gives us a real sense of her journey of inner self-development, from early loneliness, fear, sadness and fragility in the hospital, via her feelings of desperation in strange surroundings through to gradually increased strength and a growing familiarity. The camera refuses to budge, doesn’t look away, remaining stubbornly fixed on what is happening without being voyeuristic. Despite being confined in restricted space, the camera maintains a pleasant distance that opens up the space rather than making it close in on us. The camera’s actions
let you feel what Katharina Diessner wants you to: pure admiration for Arlette.«

Awards for Arlette – Mut ist ein Muskel
Schüler-Filmpreis 16+ – Kinofest Lünen 2015