Zwischen uns Gott

In a small town in Swabia, a discussion group that was initiated by Rebecca Hirneise for her debut film ZWISCHEN UNS GOTT sits in a small circle: it consists of her mother, uncles, and aunts. After years of silence and conscious distancing attempts, the non-believing director – in her dual role as filmmaker and member of the family - wants to talk to her devout relatives (except for her mother) about their respective interpretations of Christianity. The fact that, as part of their strict Methodist upbringing, they had to choose between God and the world at an early age because secular clubs, dance classes, and movies were not allowed is one thing—the way demons and Satan are spoken of as a matter of course is another. The calm observation of tense conversations, supplemented by Hirneise's off-screen diary entries and her grandfather's Super 8 film footage, provides insight into a world that knows about God, conflicts, and pain, but has no doubts. (Birgit Kohler)