Hotel Astoria

In CURTAINS, Sandra Hüller tells the story of a woman who breaks out of a long-term violent relationship and of a political and social system that prefers to look the other way. The film shows the power structures behind the facades and how the state inadequately protects women.

It is 1996. A receptionist shows one of the suites in Hotel Astoria in Leipzig, in former East Germany. She expresses the hope that a “guardian angel” will still save Astoria from oblivion. Seven years after the fall of the wall, the curtain is also falling on the legendary hotel. Memories of this place, where extravagance was also on ration, are brought to life through a combination of archive footage and animation. We hear about the nuances and absurdities of life in the GDR, from turtle soup in a country known for scarcity to the hotel bar where prostitutes, tourists, and Stasi agents all hung out. These agents kept an eye on everything that happened; the paranoia that characterized the GDR era was just as present in the hotel. (Source: IDFA 2020)

Camille who literally likes to set the tone and the height-anxious Chameleon are inseparable. They love playing hide and seek and complete each other. Until one day when Chameleon has an idea that changes everything and things don't go as Camille expected it. Both have to make individual experiences and find their own way to overcome fear and pride to realise the value of their friendship. A touching adventure set in a beautiful analog environment.