Credit scores, income statements, and exemption certificates – that’s what the caravans full of apartment seekers in Neukölln have to incessantly hear about. Thies knows a thing or two about it but as an employee of a housing administration company he is on the other side of it. He literally has the key to his customer’s most pressing problems who are grasping at straws just to get a step closer to their dream homes. The 30 year old only really becomes aware of his powerful position when he meets Polish Bruno and his sister Sonja who have an unclear residence permit status. Thies begins an affair with Bruno shortly after and finds them a three room apartment that requires restoration. The unspoken trade seems to be clear but the ominous trio’s codependency soon becomes blurry and new questions about intentions and goals have to be asked. Director Jan Krüger (RÜCKENWIND, AUF DER SUCHE) structures DIE GESCHWISTER like a characteristic Berlin story that is roughly modeled after the Grimm fairytale “Brother and Sister.” His protagonists are aware of the economic necessities but also of the city's freedom and the refuge it can offer - for an indefinite amount of time.

Jens Mayer

Translation: Elinor Lewy