The 16th Odesa International Film Festival presents the programme “German Accent.”
The “German Accent” programme is presented at OIFF with the support of German Films and features three films that offer a fresh perspective on German cinema tradition and contemporary trends, exploring themes of identity, ethics, power, and memory.
We All Bleed Red (2024), directed by Josephine Lynx
World-renowned portrait photographer Martin Schoeller creates a unique space for intimate dialogue with people often overlooked by society. In his photo booth, he meets homeless individuals, the LGBTQIA+ community, death row inmates, and Native Americans.
The film is not just a documentary story but a social experiment exploring human trust, mutual understanding, and the value of every voice. It is cinema about how art can create a space for truth, impartiality, and deep empathy.
Riefenstahl (2024), directed by Andres Feyel
The film relies on archival materials from Leni Riefenstahl’s legacy—private films, photographs, recordings, and letters. It examines her biography in a broader historical context: from the Reich’s favorite director to an artist who denied her connections with Hitler and Goebbels for decades.
In her private documents, she mourns “killed ideals,” and postwar letters and contemporary accounts reflect nostalgia for a “strong hand.” This raises a troubling question: can her art survive a renaissance, and what would its return mean today?
No Mercy (2025), directed by Isa Willinger
“No Mercy” is a radical cinematic manifesto voiced by the toughest women in cinema: unwavering, firm, and ruthless. Director Isa Willinger builds on the idea once expressed by the iconic Kira Muratova that women create the harshest films. This concept inspired Willinger and became the starting point for her exploration.
In the film, she travels to meet the most prominent contemporary female directors to examine whether the female perspective in cinema can indeed be more ruthless. At the same time, the film raises broader questions about the relationship between women, men, and power today, offering a new perspective on the role of women in art and society.
The “German Accent” programme gives Odesa Film Festival audiences the opportunity to explore Germany’s social and historical realities, see dramatic truths through the lens of documentary art, and expand their understanding of contemporary cinema. The programme is supported by German Films.
