German films 'Herzsprung' and 'Pestizid' launch in August

Director Helke Misselwitz’s drama "Herzsprung" will be shown on 13 August at the Cineding cinema in the "Grenzgänger" series. The film follows Johanna, who loses her job in the small town of Herzsprung and falls in love with an Afro‑German adventurer, highlighting post‑reunification unemployment and personal resilience.

Documentary filmmaker Christian Zipfel makes his narrative‑film debut with "Pestizid", a romance based on true events. The story centres on unemployed Ansgar (Sammy Scheuritzel) and Jule (Juliane Siebecke), a woman with Down syndrome, as they confront social prejudice. Production involves Network Movie/Studio Zentral, Niama Film, D‑Facto Motion, WDR and SWR, with funding from the Film‑ and Media Foundation NRW and the Baden‑Württemberg Media Fund. Filming continues in Cologne, Brühl and Mannheim through 20 August, with Camino set to distribute the film.