Fortress

Festung

Fortress

Kirsi Marie Liimatainen

DE
2014
Spielfilm
88’
Specials

»Violence in the family occurs at the point of greatest protection – home. Yet home is no longer a place offering security and safety, a place where one can find strength for school, work or hobbies. Nor is it the place where you can develop your identity and grow up slowly. No, this home has changed into a nest of secrets, lies and identity disorders. It has become a reason to isolate yourself, clam up and withdraw«.
– Kirsi Liimatainen

It was all meant to be different, better. After all, Robert, the father, recently came back home following a course of treatment. The family seemed reunited and intact. But nothing has changed. Robert cannot contain his aggression against the mother.
Each of the three daughters seeks her own way out of the threat: Moni, the youngest, shuts her eyes and reacts to the situation with anger. The oldest sister, who has long since moved out, calls round a lot but merely to provoke and complain. The thirteen-year-old Johanna remains silent, keeps everything a secret, tells lies. All three of them keep up appearances to the outside world – out of shame and for fear of breaking up the family. When Joanna falls in love with Christian, this facade of concealment and turning a blind eye is shattered unexpectedly. Johanna wants to save the family and protect her mother and her little sister, but she would also like to experience her first love.

In cooperation with LaDOC

Director

Kirsi Marie Liimatainen

Script

Nicole Armbruster

Cinematograhy

Christine A. Maier

Cast

Ursina Lardi, Peter Lohmeyer, Elisa Essig, Ansgar Göbel, Antonia T. Pankow, Karoline Herfurth, Bernd Michael Lade

Production

Kordes & Kordes Film GmbH

Contact

farbfilm verleih Berlin

Kirsi Marie Liimatainen

Kirsi Marie Liimatainen was born 1968 in Finland. She studied theatre arts at the University of Tampere and, after her degree in 1993, worked as an actress in Finland. From 1999 to 2006, she studied film directing at the Konrad Wolf Film & Television Academy (HFF). During her studies, she made the films Das Mädchen Modlicha, Frühlingshymne and Sonja, all of which have been presented at various film festivals. On graduating from the HFF, Kirsi Liimatainen continued to develop The Scream of the Butterfly, a feature film project, and Combarde, Where Are You Today, a documentary film. In addition, in 2010, she directed Alavilla Mailla Hallan Vaara, a mini-series in Finland, and worked on the implementation of her cinema debut Fortress. Ms Liimatainen is currently on location in South America and South Africa, shooting for Combarde, Where Are You Today.


Films by Kirsi Marie Liimatainen
Alavilla Mailla Hallan Vaara 2011 | Sonja 2006 | Frühlingshymne 2002 | Modlichan Toinen Perhe (Das Mädchen Modlicha) 2001