A Summer of Surprises | Kannawoniwasein! - Stefan Westerwelle

Since his parents' divorce, 10-year-old Finn travels back and forth between his two homes by train. One day, he is robbed by a man and then meets 12-year-old Jola - together, they embark on a journey of self-discovery.

Director Stefan Westerwelle will be present.
For ages 10+
In German with English subtitles

SCHLiNGEL International Film Festival for children and young audiences comes to the UAE. Organized by the Goethe-Institute Gulf Region in cooperation with The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi, German children and youth films and a program of short films will be presented to the young audiences of Abu Dhabi.

Synopsis After the breakup of his parents, ten-year-old Finn shuttles back and forth between his father, Volkan, in Neustrelitz, and his mother in Berlin. It is pretty chaotic, especially as his father has his hands full at his new catering company. That is why the planned paddling trip has to be cancelled and Finn has to go back to his mother. But that‘s not all: Finn‘s backpack, including his mobile phone, money, and ticket, is stolen. It could only have been the pushy man from his compartment, but the train conductor does not believe Finn and hands him over to the police. On the drive to the station, the police car is hit by a Polish delivery van. While the police and driver are negotiating, twelve-year-old Jola suddenly appears in front of Finn. Jola is supposed to spend the holidays with her annoying grandmother in Poland. She doesn't feel like it at all, so she persuades Finn to go to the sea with her - but first, the thief from the train has to be caught.

Stefan Westerwelle   Born in Detmold, Stefan Westerwelle studied film and television at the Academy of Media Arts. His graduation film Solange Du Hier Bist (2006) was shown at the Locarno Film Festival in Montreal and was awarded the special prize for medium-length films with a Golden Lola. In 2008, Westerwelle received the North Rhine-Westphalia Film Prize. His documentary Detlef (2012) and the thriller Lose Your Head (2013) both screened in the Panorama section of the Berlin International Film Festival. His dance film Into the Beat | Dein Herz Tant was not only shown in cinemas in 2020 but also launched an international Netflix career the following year. Into the Beat was ranked top 10 in 67 countries and reached an audience of millions. With A Summer of Surprises | Kannawoniwasein!, he devotes himself to another children's film after Matti and Sami and the Three Biggest Errors in the Universe (2018). Westerwelle works as a director and screenwriter.