2nd competition entry by Julia Roesler (D 2025, 94 min)
by Julia Roesler (D 2025, 94 min)
Cheerful Luisa lives in a residential facility for people with disabilities. She is 22 years old and curious about life. Unnoticed, Luisa becomes increasingly quiet, everyday life in the residential group continues until it is unexpectedly discovered that Luisa is pregnant. She doesn't tell anyone what has happened, she remains silent. Sexual abuse is suspected. The investigation becomes an endurance test for Luisa, her relationship with her boyfriend Anton and for the entire staff of the residential facility. LUISA had its highly acclaimed world premiere in June 2025 in the competition of the Shanghai International Film Festival. The film was made with a professional cast of ten actors with and ten actors without disabilities. The cast includes Celina Scharff (Luisa), Dennis Seidel (Anton), Eva Löbau as Luisa's mother Claudia and Peter Lohmeyer as the head of the residential group.
JULIA ROESLER
Julia Roesler studied Cultural Studies and Aesthetic Practice at the University of Hildesheim. Since graduating, she has worked as a freelance director. In 2006 she founded the independent theater group werkgruppe2 with the composer and musician Insa Rudolph, to which the dramaturge Silke Merzhäuser has also belonged since 2009. werkgruppe2 has so far exclusively developed documentary theater projects, always based on interview material and with a high proportion of live music and new compositions. LUISA is Julia Roesler's feature film debut.
