If You Are Afraid You Put Your Heart into Your Mouth and Smile

Twelve-year-old Anna lives with her deaf mother in a poor housing-estate in Vienna. Her life is transforming – she’s starting at a new school and, after years of sharing a bed with her mother, she finally gets her own space in the living room. Meanwhile, her mother begins to rediscover the possibility of forming new relationships. Celebrating differences, this film avoids the typical formulas of queer narratives – instead of sweeping romances or grand gestures, we follow the everyday acts of solidarity and care that make queer existence so natural. Debuting director Marie Luise Lehner handles the story with tenderness and perfectly crafted, authentic dialogue, showing how respect, understanding, and small acts can be more meaningful than even the most lavish school trip. At just thirty years old, she took home the Teddy Jury Award from Berlinale for this remarkable film.