DER WALD IN MIR

Jan‘s (23) greatest passion is his animals. The reclusive biology student‘s apartment is filled with aquariums, terrariums, and cages. His fellow student Alice (23), an environmental activist, is attracted to his eccentric sensitivity. Jan gets involved in the group‘s actions when he tries to prevent Alice from getting arrested. When the two finally fall in love, Jan is elated. But the strong emotions, social life, and Alice‘s proximity seem to be too much for him. In his exaggerated perception, he sees signs of a threat that he must actively fight against. Jan increasingly falls into a delusional, sometimes manic, state that leads to a dramatic breakdown and his admittance to a psychiatric hospital. There, Jan seems to stabilize because Alice continues to support him. Her love helps Jan find his way back to life. However, the apparent healing cannot withstand the pressure of events: Jan is evicted from his apartment, and the university has expelled him. Jan falls into a deep depression, which even Alice slowly despairs over. Eventually, he flees to the forest and finds himself in the comfort of nature. At first, Alice can‘t find him. But eventually, she meets a fox with a familiar face. She follows him into a new life.

Sebastian Fritzsch photos © Martin Rottenkolber, Bernhard Keller