Sandra Wollner’s Touching Story of Loss Premieres at Cannes Un Certain Regard, with Charades Managing Sales
On the eve of a long-awaited family vacation, a young woman’s decision to sneak out with her boyfriend sets off a chain of events that will lead to a heartbreaking tragedy. After a night of partying, the couple scales a high-rise building to witness the sunrise, under the influence of pills.
One year later, the girl’s mother and younger sister embark on a trip to Tenerife, accompanied by the boyfriend. This vacation, intended to be a time of healing and remembrance, becomes a space where past grievances and present struggles intertwine. Under the warm sun, the trio grapples with themes of blame, lost love, and the search for forgiveness.
Birgit Minichmayr, known for her roles in The White Ribbon, 3 Days in Quiberon, and The Blood Countess, stars as the mother, while Lotte Shirin Keiling, Tristan Lopez, and Carla Hüttermann complete the emerging young cast.
In a director’s statement, Sebastian Wollner shares his perspective on life and loss: “I don’t believe in an afterlife, but I envy those who do. I do believe that the images of the people we love stay with us – that they somehow inscribe themselves into the world.” He recalls the memory of his father, suggesting the power of cherished recollections to offer comfort amid grief.
Reflecting on the characters in his film, Wollner notes, “I have met the kind of people like those in this film more than once in my life: the mother who lost her daughter, the boy who was there, the younger sister who has not yet found a way to process it.” He explores how the characters continue their daily lives—filled with homework, groceries, and dinner—as they cling to a fragile routine, all while yearning for a time before the tragedy altered their lives forever.
Everytime marks Wollner’s third feature film, following The Impossible Picture and The Trouble With Being Born, the latter of which received the special jury award in the Berlinale’s Encounters section.
The film is a collaboration between producers Lixi Frank and David Bohun of Vienna-based Panama Film, along with Viktoria Stolpe and Timm Kröger from The Barricades. International sales are being managed by Charades.
