London Premiere / Best Debut Feature Nominee

Short Synopsis

A selfish glamour model finds herself living out of her vehicle in a car park.

Review

Valerie, a 29 year old Polish-born model from Paris, comes to terms with the fact that success is a thing of her past. Just before Christmas she finds herself stranded and penniless in Berlin. Her credit card no longer works and she is forced to spend nights in the car park of the luxurious Hotel Hyatt in the heart of the city. Only Andre, the parking attendant, becomes a witness to her double life.

The film sees her develop into a more considerate human being as a result of her few hours of hardship. Agata Busek gives a strong and touching performance as Valerie in Birgit Moller's impressive directorial debut.

Keeping the tone of this film pleasant, considering its subject matter, is a real achievement. Möller succeeds in injecting the drama with numerous light hearted moments as she peals away at the realities of losing face in a world where status and external appearance are the bedrock of is value system. There is no indication as to why she finds herself in this unfortunate situation; it is her present journey and her short-term endeavours that keep us engaged.

Ramchandra Solanki