Surviving Brandenburg

Independent filmmaker László Kovács (Zoltan Paul) has his film project’s funding pulled: too old, white, and on top of that, heart problems! The verdict: no longer marketable. Didn’t this Hungarian from Lake Balaton once aim for the top? What now? Keep living off his successful wife (Adele Neuhauser)? László slides into a full-blown midlife crisis and initially finds solace in the fascinating allure of the “crazy woman” from the neighboring village. But when a right-wing populist runs as the sole mayoral candidate in the village of 120 souls, László comes to his senses. To “stop that right-wing idiot,” he runs as a liberal opponent. The only question remaining is whether László’s marriage—and he himself—will survive the village election campaign? Director Zoltan Paul passed away shortly after filming this tragicomedy, made with Ben von Grafenstein and clearly inspired by his own life. Zoltan Paul was married to Adele Neuhauser, who plays the on-screen wife of his directorial alter ego László, for 25 years. However, “Über Leben in Brandenburg” is not only about professional and personal crises linked to age discrimination, but also about the region’s shift to the right. As a humorous social commentary, Paul’s film—carried by its lively ensemble—combines tragicomic moments with a well-judged critique of provincial politicians, vanity, and quirky village dynamics.