Edimotion 2026 - Festival für Filmschnitt und Montagekunst: IM PRINZIP FAMILIE

Five boys who, for various reasons, cannot stay with their parents live in a former parsonage in Brandenburg. The group home is their temporary home—for some, for years. The caregivers Antje, Max, and Sören work in shifts to support them through everyday life, from school problems and arguments to birthdays and vacations. At the same time, the boys’ biological families remain a part of their lives. Visits are arranged, and the possibility of a return home is on the minds of both children and adults—yet it repeatedly proves uncertain. Decisions about the boys’ future are made not only by parents and caregivers but also by child welfare agencies and other institutions. Between shared meals, celebrations, and bedtime stories, discussions about support plans, reports, and bureaucratic decisions are therefore also part of daily life. While the adults struggle to find viable solutions, the boys are growing up. The residential group offers them a shared center of life—though it’s unclear for how long.

DE 2024. Editing: Jana Dugnus. Director, Screenplay: Daniel Abma. Cinematography: Johannes Praus. Music: Henning Fuchs. Sound: Alexandra Praet, Roman Pogorzelski, Christoph Walter. Production: Bandenfilm. Distributor: Camino Filmverleih. Theatrical release: June 5, 2025 (Germany).
94 minutes. German with English subtitles.