March 31

Any Given Day

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A vast number of people live with some type of mental illness. In the USA, many end up in prison due to the inaccessibility of medical and social care. The film portrays three people on the thorny road back to society. Depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder – the film’s protagonists Angela, Daniel and Dimitar have been battling these severe mental illnesses for years. After committing minor offences, all end up in prison. After their release they face an endless circle of dealing with the police, the courts and other authorities. A special probation programme helps them cope with bureaucracy and stand on their own two feet, but they must still deal with depression, suicidal thoughts and the constant pull of drug addiction. Director Margaret Byrne, who herself has a mental illness, sensitively captures their daily battle living on the threshold of metal illness, poverty and addiction. Show more

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Choices / Voices

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One possible measure of a state’s development is its approach to women’s rights. It may therefore come as a surprise that abortion is illegal in Germany. This situation in Germany is determined by Section 218 of the Criminal Code, which is regularly the subject of heated debates, disputes and demonstrations. Although it has been amended several times to ensure that abortion is not punished if certain conditions are met, it remains illegal. In practice, this means that the state actively enters people’s lives and often complicates an already difficult situation – with the sole aim of reducing the number of abortions. Members of the Berlin feminist group KINOKAS have recorded the testimonies of dozens of women who openly share their experiences of abortion. From this mosaic a clear call for the right to decide freely about one’s body, life and future emerges. Show more

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