The Trouble with Being Born

Set in the near future in central Europe, the film follows Elli, a 10-year-old android who is programmed to take on the appearance of a fantasy character. Elli serves as a container for the memories of her "father," Georg. She accompanies Georg to the pool, and dresses up for him in their house in the woods. But when Georg chases a strange sound echoing in the darkness, Elli is snatched up by strangers and given a new identity. The film presents a web of mystery, longing, emptiness and fear as a projection of childhood paradise lost. The film raises questions about memories and their meaning for us as human beings. It also addresses themes of pedophilia, incest, missing and deceased children, and the difficulty of letting go. Wollner's film does not provide a definitive interpretation, but invites viewers to engage with the many layers of meaning. The androids in the film are eerie and ghostly, appearing as spirits of past existences and memories.