In Good Faith

A moving coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of a strict evangelical free church: Hannah (Flora Li Thiemann) and Timotheus (Serafin Mishiev) are siblings. They grow up together under the protective wing of their devoutly religious parents and their congregation, until their awakening sexuality comes into conflict with their ingrained faith: Hannah has taken a vow of chastity but falls in love with the new neighbor, Max. Her brother Timotheus, on the other hand, struggles with his sexual identity and desperately seeks “healing” because he believes his homosexuality is a sin. Both face the decision of whether to follow their parents’ expectations or trust their own feelings. These parents, however, are so firmly anchored in the congregation and its belief system that they are prepared to make painful decisions for their children. "GOTTESKINDER tells an intense and powerful story of the elevation of religious views, as they might actually occur in some families far from the public eye. [...] Thus, the abysses that faith opens up here, as they slowly unfold, strike a deep chord with the viewer. Every injustice cries out to heaven; every consequence seems all the more significant. Precisely because of its narrative context, GOTTESKINDER recalls American models such as Sophia Coppola’s VIRGIN SUICIDES, yet gains a whole new power and relevance through its setting in the German-speaking world.” (FBW Statement – Rating: “particularly valuable”)