»If I forgot about myself, it wouldn’t be good for my daughter.« Alexandra Makarová

In 1980s Vienna, dissident artist Perla has built a successful, stable life with her daughter Julia, a talented young pianist, and her new partner Josef. The traumas of her youth in communist Czechoslovakia have faded or been replaced by new memories: »I didn’t flee,« she claims, »I received a scholarship.« When her ex Andrej – Julia’s father – is released from prison, claiming to be seriously ill, Perla decides to undertake a risky journey, only to find that Andrej wants to force his way back into her life. Torn between the past and the present, Perla oscillates between hope and self-destruction, and the strain slowly begins to show in her relationship with her daughter.
Perla’s internal conflicts and resilience form the heart of this meticulously crafted Cold War psychological thriller. The film’s careful attention to detail makes her character deeply relatable: singing along to her vinyl records from Asia, talking to her daughter or immersed in her art. George Weiss’ cinematography, Klaudia Kiczak’s set design and, first and foremost, Rebeka Polaková’s nuanced performance make the emotional toll on Perla tangible – her struggle to balance motherhood and artistry, her inner life in exile and the insidious mechanisms of the totalitarian system.

Awards for »Perla«
Best Austrian Film – Viennale 2025, Audience Award, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design – Diagonale 2025

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