Mahlzeiten

›Mahlzeiten‹ tells the story of a failing marriage and, in doing so, considers its own medium. A key film of the New German Cinema.

20-year-old Elisabeth is training to be a photographer when she meets Paul, a medical student. The two quickly fall in love. For Elisabeth, it's clear: "I think every woman should get married." Soon she becomes pregnant for the first time. Then a second time. Although she finds happiness in marriage, Paul descends into a crisis. He drops out of university, becomes a salesman. The results are catastrophic. Edgar Reitz's feature debut depicts a couple who fall victim to their own expectations. With avant-garde style and much gusto, ›Mahlzeiten‹ took part in the European cinema awakening of the 1960s. At the Venice Film Festival, it received the award for Best First Feature. In 2004, Edgar Reitz was honored for his life's work at the IFFMH.

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