KINOFEST: EZRA - EINE FAMILIENGESCHICHTE

In the organizer's words:

102 minutes | Comedy | Start: 12.09.2024 | USA 2023

Comedy in which a stand-up comedian goes on a road trip with his son.

Stand-up comedian Max (Bobby Cannavale) doesn't have much to laugh about right now. His career is in a permanent crisis, his wife Jenna (Rose Byrne) has left him and taken their son Ezra (William Fitzgerald), who has symptoms of Asperger's syndrome, with him. Now in his mid-forties, he lives with his eccentric father Stan (Robert De Niro) again. When Ezra is expelled from school and Jenna is of the opinion that her son would be better off in a special school, Max sees only one way out: he whisks Ezra away on a road trip across the USA, where the two of them get to know each other all over again. Because not only is the boy afraid of bananas and has a memory like Rain Man, he also has - the apple doesn't fall far from the horse - an unexpected comedy talent.

Wonderfully warm-hearted and wise, the film tells of a father's unconditional love for his son and the challenges of being different. This stirring story is brought to the big screen by a unique team whose mission is authentic representation and empowerment. Leading the way is William A. Fitzgerald, a 15-year-old teenager with autism spectrum disorder. As Ezra, the newcomer delivers a more than impressive performance in his first film role.