Filmmaker Florian Pochlatko will premiere his debut feature How to Be Normal and the Oddness of the Other World, a genre-blending film described as a mixture of drama, satire, and supernatural action, in the new competition section Perspectives at the upcoming Berlinale Film Festival.
The story centers on Pia, a young woman recently discharged from a psychiatric hospital. Moving back in with her parents, she attempts to rebuild her life amidst a landscape defined by precarious relationships, medication, and social expectations. The film addresses themes of mental health, self-identity, and the disorientation of young adulthood in a digital age. Pia’s journey reflects broader generational issues, including the pressures of social media and the search for stability in a world of competing possibilities.
The film stars Luisa-Céline Gaffron in the lead role, alongside a cast that includes Elke Winkens, Cornelius Obonya, Felix Kramer, Oliver Rosskopf, and Lion Thomas Tatzber.
The official synopsis:
“Fresh out of psychiatry, Pia moves back in with her parents to rebuild her life. Juggling jobs, heartbreak, meds, and stigma, she stumbles into a world that feels as unsteady as she does.”