Schlamassel

It is 1996 in the former East Germany: Dolly the sheep has just been cloned, Mercedes-Benz are readily available, and Western rock dominates the radio. Yet for Johanna, a young journalist at a local paper, money is scarce and past traumas linger. After the death of her grandmother, Johanna copes with grief by throwing herself into work. When an old photograph of a female concentration camp guard appears, she is compelled to investigate—but in uncovering another family’s difficult past, Johanna is forced to confront her own.

Sylke Enders is known for female-driven narratives and Schlamassel is no exception. The story unfolds almost entirely through women, and Mareike Beyrich’s memorable portrayal of Johanna—a complex, motorcycle-riding journalist by equal turns obstinate and passive—defies easy categorization.

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