Selection

Screening: Professional Competition 5
Germany 2023
Duration: 08:03
Directed: Anna Benner
Screenplay: Anna Benner
Production: Anna Benner
Dialogue Language: English

A woman who is escaping an abusive situation stumbles and finds herself eye to eye with a hen who is in the same situation. Even though they are separated by a fence as well as by species they develop a mutual understanding based on the outward shared symptoms of their pain: sore skin. In the moment of their connection we see flashbacks to the origin of their pain. As the woman smokes a cigarette to calm her nerves, she and the chicken come up with a plan: to set the world on fire to match their burning skin. The fire may be imaginary but nevertheless it soothes and provides catharsis.