If Pigeons Turned to Gold

Where does love end and control begin? For five years, director Pepa Lubojacki documented the lives of her brother and two cousins, whose addictions gradually robbed them of their relationships, their homes, and their sense of security, as she attempts to understand what triggered their downfall. This intimate, formally original, and brutally honest documentary won two awards at the Berlinale.

For five years, young director Pepa Lubojacki documented the emotional stories of her own family. Why did addiction rob her beloved brother and two cousins of their relationships, sense of security, health, and a roof over their heads? And what if addiction itself isn’t the root cause of it all, but rather something that began much earlier? A fresh mix of intimate diary footage, animated photographs, stylized memories, and graphic collages makes the film a unique experience that is both raw and playful. As the director and Pepa’s sister, she faces a question with no easy answer: where does love end and control begin? To save, or to let go? This radically honest film won the award for Best Documentary Film at the Berlinale.