Germany / Switzerland,
2005, 98 min
Shown in 2006
CREDITS
- dir
-
Michael Hofmann
- prod
-
Michael Jungfleisch
- scr
-
Michael Hofmann
- cam
-
Jutta Pohlmann
- editor
-
Bernhard Wiessner, Isabell Meier
- mus
-
Christoph Kaiser, Julian Maas
- cast
-
Josef Ostendorf, Charlotte Roche, Devid Striesow, Max Rüdlinger, Leonie Stepp
- source
-
GAMBIT Film und Fernsehproduktion GmbH, Alleenstrasse 2, 71638 Ludwigsburg, Germany. FAX: +49-7141-97439-58. EMAIL: m.jungfleisch@gambit-film.de.
- premiere
-
North American Premiere
-
COMMENTS
Michael Hofmann and Michael Jungfleisch in attendance.
OTHER
Michael Hofmann’s quiet, poignant film explores love, jealousy and, perhaps most importantly, the transformative power of food. A character study about friendship and intimacy, the film centers on the relationship between Eden (Charleotte Roche), a beautiful, married but lonely waitress, and Gregor, a hulking, socially awkward and stubborn chef. But, oh, what a chef he is. It’s through his cooking—his ability, despite his apparent asexuality, to prepare cucina erotica, as it's called and mouth-wateringly depicted in the film—that the two embark on an unlikely friendship. She gets hooked on his food, and he gets hooked on her. Each inspires the other: Her marriage thrives, his dishes are better than ever and even her developmentally disabled daughter finally seems calm. Things start to tailspin, however, when the small town starts talking—no one seems to understand the relationship, least of all Eden’s husband Xavier (David Stiesow), whose confusion and rage sets off the unforgettable climactic sequence. It’s not clear that even Eden and Gregor fully understand their bond, yet they both have come to depend on it. This is a nuanced film, heartwarming at times, heartbreaking at others, that deftly addresses aloneness, relationships and redemption. The performances are all exceptional, especially Josef Ostendorf as Gregor, who can convey a whirlwind of emotions without saying much. As a whole, Eden covers a range of emotional terrain with ease.
—Ben Friedland
FACTOID #25
The San Francisco International showed Lina Wertm’ller’s first film, The Lizards, in 1963. A favorite of Bay Area audiences, her features All Screwed Up and The Seduction of Mimi had their U.S. premieres at the SFIFF in 1972 and 1974.
