Jetzt oder morgen

Lisa Weber accompanied her protagonist for more than three years. Claudia, who had her son when she was 15, now lives with him and her brother at her mother’s. The camera observes Claudia closely; whether she is waking up or going to bed, going through the ritual of brushing her teeth, smoking while staring at her mobile phone, or writing job applications – a seemingly pointless exercise without graduation certificate. “So much time and no life”, is how her brother sums it all up. Now and then, Weber breaks her purely observational stance by stepping into the frame to arrange objects or comfort Claudia when she’s sad. The vast sofa resembles an island on which everyone seems to have settled for the duration of their mostly uneventful lives. What options do you have when unemployment and social background hinder your chances of a different future? Claudia’s hopes seem to find their expression in the Whitney Houston-Mariah Carey ballad “When You Believe”, which can often be heard in the background. These moments speak of love and cohesion in a life seemingly dominated by a lack of prospects. A film about the passing of time, and about what goes on when nothing seems to be happening. (Berlinale)