Benni (Helena Zengel) is a troubled, confrontational nine-year-old, somewhat abandoned by her exasperated mother and left in the care of social services, where practitioners are running out of options for how to deal with her. She is assigned a school escort, Micha Heller (Albrecht Schuch), who soon offers empathy when everyone else is giving up on her. But will that be enough to help her? Nora Fingscheidt’s striking debut feature is a sensitive and moving depiction of mental illness, challenging the way it is treated. At the centre of the film is an incredible, ferocious performance from Zengel, who electrifies every scene she appears in. MH

After this event, there will be a post-screening discussion led by Frank Berry, director of 2017 CFF Audience Award Winner Michael Inside, and featuring  John Murphy, Advocacy Officer and Research, EPIC (Empowering People in Care) and Ella Lovett, Clinical Psychologist, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service).

Second Chance: Thu, 14th Nov 2019