Munich, 1962: A 12-year-old girl goes to court. She takes the courageous step of suing the very person who should protect her: Her father. She insists on telling her story in her own way, leaving the „unspeakable“ unsaid.
KARLA is the powerful true story of the first known case in Germany where a child sued their abusive parent. The real Karla helped in the making of the book behind the film. Told with great sensitivity and atmospheric cinematography, the film stars Rainer Bock („The White Ribbon“), Imogen Kogge („The Zone of Interest“) and introduces Elise Krieps.
Director
Christina Tournatzès
Version
OV: German
Subtitles: EnglishProduced by
Jamila Wenske | Melanie Blocksdorf
(Achtung Panda! Media GmbH)Screenplay
Yvonne Görlach
DOP
Florian Emmerich
Cast
Elise Krieps | Rainer Bock | Imogen Kogge | Torben Liebrecht | Katharina Schüttler
Genre
Drama
Running Time
105 min.
Release
Eksystent Filmverleih
October 2, 2025Festivals
Munich International Film Festival | Five Lakes Filmfestival | SCHLiNGEL International Film Festival | Festival Augenblick | Thessaloniki Film Festival
Awards
Munich International Film Festival 2025 - German Cinema New Talent Award (Best Director: Christina Tournatzés, Best Screenwriter: Yvonne Görlach) | 55th ACS National Awards - Gold Tripod Award (Florian Emmerich) | SCHLiNGEL International Film Festival 2025 - Best German Language Film
Year
2025
Status
Completed
Distribution Support
Qualifies for German Films Distribution Support
credits not contractual
”Elise Krieps leaves a lasting impression in her first lead role”
”a film that lingers long after the credits roll, directed with cinematic intelligence, a big heart, and deep admiration for its heroine”
”one of the most interesting period pieces we have seen from a first-time filmmaker”