WE MIGHT AS WELL BE DEAD

Trailer

Synopsis

ANNA (40) lives with her daughter IRIS (16) in an appealing apartment building near the forest. It’s a safe and secure place and as security officer, Anna holds an important position. When caretaker Gerti‘s dog disappears, fear and mistrust sparks in the community. Believing that her evil eye is responsible for the dog’s disappearance, Iris locks herself in the bathroom. To prove her daughter’s fears irrational, Anna starts searching for the missing dog. Soon the community is convinced that Gerti‘s dog died a violent death. Fear of the unknown murderer spreads among the residents. Neighbors begin to suspect each other. Anna tries to call the inhabitants to reason, but a group of voluntary vigilantes opens investigations against her. As pressure increases, Anna‘s situation becomes dire. To ensure that she and Iris can stay in the house, she goes beyond her moral limits.

Selected Festivals:

2022
Berlinale - Opening Film at Perspective Deutsches Kino
Tribeca Film Festival - International Narrative Competition - WINNER Best Cinematography
Berlin Film Week - Winner Best Director and Best Screenplay
Galway IFF
Fantasia Film Festival
Melbourne IFF
L'Étrange Festival 
Fantastic film festival 
Sitges FF - NEW VISIONS
Haifa IFF
Lund IFFF
Boston Jewish Film Festival
Ankara FF
Thessaloniki IFF

2023
Trieste IFF

Year

2022

Duration

93 Mins

Genre

Drama

Country

Germany

Director

At the age of 7 Natalia Sinelnikova immigrated with her family as Jewish contingent refugees from St. Petersburg to Germany in 1996. In 2013 she graduated from Hildesheim University, with a Bachelor in Culture Studies, the major field of her studies being photography and theatre. Since October 2013 she has been studying film directing at Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf in Potsdam. Her graduation film Weeping Willows premiered at the Moscow Jewish Film Festival and was screened at various international festivals. In 2016 she was a member of the Debut Film Jury of the Festival of East European Cinema Cottbus and in 2021 was part of the ZFF Academy at Zurich Film Festival. Natalia is a member of the Jewish artists‘ network „Dagesh“.  

WE MIGHT AS WELL BE DEAD is her feature debut. At the age of 7 Natalia Sinelnikova immigrated with her family as Jewish contingent refugees from St. Petersburg to Germany in 1996. In 2013 she graduated from Hildesheim University, with a Bachelor in Culture Studies, the major field of her studies being photography and theatre. Since October 2013 she has been studying film directing at Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf in Potsdam. Her graduation film Weeping Willows premiered at the Moscow Jewish Film Festival and was screened at various international festivals. In 2016 she was a member of the Debut Film Jury of the Festival of East European Cinema Cottbus and in 2021 was part of the ZFF Academy at Zurich Film Festival. Natalia is a member of the Jewish artists‘ network „Dagesh“.  

WE MIGHT AS WELL BE DEAD is her feature debut. 

Director

Natalia Sinelnikova

Cast

Ioana Iacob
Jörg Schüttauf
Mina Sagdic

Producers

Julia Wagner (HEARTWAKE films)

Producers

Julia Wagner (HEARTWAKE films)

Cast

Ioana Iacob
Jörg Schüttauf
Mina Sagdic

Additional Credits

Scriptwriter
Natalia Sinelnikova
Scriptwriter
Viktor Gallandi
Cinematography
Jan Mayntz
Production Designer
Elisabeth Kozerski
Music by
Maxi Menot
Music by
Michael Kondaurow
Editor
Evelyn Rack

Additional Credits

Cinematography
Jan Mayntz
Editor
Evelyn Rack
Music by
Maxi Menot
Music by
Michael Kondaurow
Production Designer
Elisabeth Kozerski