Oh, This Unspeakable Void
by
Simon Verhoeven
From the producers of "Toni Erdmann" and based on a bestselling novel comes a bittersweet true story about a young man caught between two worlds:the punishing chaos of drama school and the strange comfort of his eccentric grandparents' home.
At the age of 20, Joachim is unexpectedly accepted into the renowned acting school in Munich and moves into the villa with his grandparents, Inge and Hermann. Between the bizarre challenges of acting school and the eccentric, mostly alcohol-fueled rituals of his grandparents, Joachim tries to find his place in the world — without knowing what role he actually plays in it.
Genre
/ Language
/ Length
Comedy
/ German / 137 minutes
Original title
Ach, diese Lücke, diese entsetzliche Lücke
directed by
Simon Verhoeven
director of photography
Jo Heim (SNOWDEN, UNFRIEND)
screenplay by
Simon Verhoevenbased on a novel by Joachim Meyerhoff
produced by
Komplizen Film and Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany in coproduction with Doll Fimproduktion and Sentana Filmproduktion
Cast
- Bruno Alexander (WE CHILDREN FROM BAHNHOF ZOO)
- Senta Berger (WELCOME TO GERMANY)
- Michael Wittenborn (ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, TONI ERDMANN)
- Laura Tonke (BAADER, AMRUM, 22 LENGHTS)
- Karoline Herfurth (TEXT FOR YOU, WONDERFULLY BEAUTIFUL)
- Anne Ratte-Polle (WILLENBROCK, UNDINE, DARK)
Press Quotes
„One of the funniest German comedies of recent years - warm-hearted, clever and emotionally surprisingly deep!“
FILMSTARTS
"A beautiful film. Deeply touching."
DIE ZEIT
“A must-see!”
SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG
“A stroke of luck – for all those who love the book, but also for the person who wrote it.”
CINEMA
“As captivating and funny as the book.”
MYSELF
“Stunning tragicomedy with a perfect ensemble cast.”
TV DIGITAL
“A compelling mix of depth, melancholy, and subtle humor.”
TV MOVIE
“The key scene, conceived especially for the film, in which Joachim sings ‘Tainted Love,' his dead brother's favorite song, in his singing teacher's class and sings freely, is already one of the most intense moments of the German cinema year. It is here, at the latest, that Bruno Alexander proves himself to be the perfect choice for the role.Simon Verhoeven masterfully combines this portrait of - not only professional - self-discovery with the bittersweet story of saying goodbye. Carried by the great Senta Berger…A brilliantly performed adaptation of a bestseller that is deeply moving on several levels.”
TV TODAY & TV SPIELFILM
“Masterfully, with tragic lightness and amusing depth!The film tells us how to live and love for a long time, how to arrive at or have arrived in life, how to let go and move on.A loving humanism carries the story without denying tragedy.The relationship between grandparents and grandchildren provides a good framework for this, because it is removed from the confrontational events of everyday life and questions of upbringing.”
ABENDZEITUNG
“Finally, another clever German comedy!Simon Verhoeven has made a brilliant film.Bruno Alexander is a revelation in his first leading role in a movie, and Senta Berger shows just how funny she can be.”
TAGESSPIEGEL
“A hilarious and heartwarming film about arriving in life and, at the same time, having to say goodbye.”
NDR
“The chemistry between the three main actors is magnificent, every scene is poetry, especially how the grandmother and grandfather complement or repeat each other in their dialogues—as if they had long since become one person rather than a duo. More than two hours fly by here.”
PROGRAMMKINO
“Verhoeven's mother, Senta Berger, is captivating as a stylishly fading diva who seems to live in her own sphere, yet repeatedly supports her grandson with surprising pragmatism.”
RND
“Simon Verhoeven has distilled a wonderful novel into a highly comical, deeply sad and watchable film.Perfectly cast and acted, the result is a successful blend of coming-of-age film, family drama, milieu comedy and biography. Worth seeing!”
FILMDIENST
FILMSTARTS
"A beautiful film. Deeply touching."
DIE ZEIT
“A must-see!”
SUEDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG
“A stroke of luck – for all those who love the book, but also for the person who wrote it.”
CINEMA
“As captivating and funny as the book.”
MYSELF
“Stunning tragicomedy with a perfect ensemble cast.”
TV DIGITAL
“A compelling mix of depth, melancholy, and subtle humor.”
TV MOVIE
“The key scene, conceived especially for the film, in which Joachim sings ‘Tainted Love,' his dead brother's favorite song, in his singing teacher's class and sings freely, is already one of the most intense moments of the German cinema year. It is here, at the latest, that Bruno Alexander proves himself to be the perfect choice for the role.Simon Verhoeven masterfully combines this portrait of - not only professional - self-discovery with the bittersweet story of saying goodbye. Carried by the great Senta Berger…A brilliantly performed adaptation of a bestseller that is deeply moving on several levels.”
TV TODAY & TV SPIELFILM
“Masterfully, with tragic lightness and amusing depth!The film tells us how to live and love for a long time, how to arrive at or have arrived in life, how to let go and move on.A loving humanism carries the story without denying tragedy.The relationship between grandparents and grandchildren provides a good framework for this, because it is removed from the confrontational events of everyday life and questions of upbringing.”
ABENDZEITUNG
“Finally, another clever German comedy!Simon Verhoeven has made a brilliant film.Bruno Alexander is a revelation in his first leading role in a movie, and Senta Berger shows just how funny she can be.”
TAGESSPIEGEL
“A hilarious and heartwarming film about arriving in life and, at the same time, having to say goodbye.”
NDR
“The chemistry between the three main actors is magnificent, every scene is poetry, especially how the grandmother and grandfather complement or repeat each other in their dialogues—as if they had long since become one person rather than a duo. More than two hours fly by here.”
PROGRAMMKINO
“Verhoeven's mother, Senta Berger, is captivating as a stylishly fading diva who seems to live in her own sphere, yet repeatedly supports her grandson with surprising pragmatism.”
RND
“Simon Verhoeven has distilled a wonderful novel into a highly comical, deeply sad and watchable film.Perfectly cast and acted, the result is a successful blend of coming-of-age film, family drama, milieu comedy and biography. Worth seeing!”
FILMDIENST
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