Heimat Is a Space in Time

Imagina 2019 / Heimat ist ein Raum aus Zeit / Germany, Austria 2019

Recounted against a backdrop of major 20th century events, seasoned nonconformist and true intellectual Thomas Heise immerses himself in four generations of his family’s history, employing a serenity that the nourishing three-and-a-half-hour footage demands. The cinephilic hit of this year’s Berlinale asks out loud for a peckish audience that won’t be put off by narratives scored with all manner of grooves and crevices.

Heimat Is a Space in Time

Synopsis

While other filmmakers tend to choose highly personal themes somewhat prematurely – often right at the start of their careers – seasoned nonconformist and true intellectual Thomas Heise knows full well that a complex yarn is more easily untwined with acquired experience. Recounted against a backdrop of major 20th century events, he immerses himself in four generations of his family’s history, employing a serenity that the nourishing three-and-a-half-hour footage demands. He thus never overlooks beguiling details and is able to take wistful detours. Nor does he feel the need to hurry when the most eloquent form of expression is contemplative silence. The cinephilic hit of this year’s Berlinale asks out loud for a peckish audience that won’t be put off by narratives scored with all manner of grooves and crevices.

Martin Horyna

About the film

218 min / Color, Black & White, DCP

Director Thomas Heise / Dir. of Photography Stefan Neuberger / Editor Chris Wright / Producer Heino Deckert / Production Ma.ja.de. Filmproduktion / Sales Deckert Distribution

About the director

Thomas Heise

Thomas Heise (b. 1955, Berlin). Selected filmography (documentaries): Why a Film About These People? (1980, short), The House (1984), Iron Age (1991), Barluschke (1997), My Local (2000), Fatherland (2002), Lucky (Niggers) (2006), Children. As Time Flies (2007), Solar System (2011), Consequence (2012, Imagina, 48th KVIFF)

Contacts

Deckert Distribution
Gottschedstr. 18, 04109, Leipzig
Germany
Phone: +49 341 215 6638
E-mail: info@deckert-distribution.com

Guests

Thomas Heise
Film Director