The Forest for the Trees
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Maren Ade
Eva Löbau
Daniela Holtz
Ilona Schulz
Robert Schupp
Jan Neumann
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
An idealistic young educator is ostracized for her lack of teaching skills and civil graces. Full of youthful idealism, Melanie Proeschle leaves her rural flat and boyfriend to take a mid-year post teaching fifth and ninth graders in the southwestern German city of Karlsruhe. The school atmosphere is immediately intimidating and her older colleagues are dismissive of her more progressive teaching techniques. The only teacher near her own age is the geeky Thorsten Rehm, who seems friendly but comes on too strong. Things seem initially more promising at home, where Melanie greets her new neighbors with homemade schnapps before initiating a tentative friendship with the infinitely more worldly Tina Schaffner, who lives across the way. The worse things get at school, the more Melanie begins to overcompensate by inserting herself in Tina's life. At first friendly and tolerant, the neighbor soon grows openly hostile, prompting Melanie to succumb to the pressures of her life.
Director
Maren Ade
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States January 2005
Released in United States October 22, 2003
Released in United States on Video April 22, 2008
Released in United States September 2004
Shown at Hofer Filmtage (Hof International Film Festival) October 22, 2003.
Shown at Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema Competition) January 20-30, 2005.
Shown at the Toronto International Film Festival September 9-18, 2004.
Feature directorial debut for Maren Ade.
Released in United States January 2005 (Shown at Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema Competition) January 20-30, 2005.)
Released in United States on Video April 22, 2008
Released in United States September 2004 (Shown at the Toronto International Film Festival September 9-18, 2004.)
Released in United States October 22, 2003 (Shown at Hofer Filmtage (Hof International Film Festival) October 22, 2003.)
