Film Craft > Production

THE WISH

SERVICEPLAN, Munchen / PENNY / 2022

Awards:

Grand Prix Cannes Lions
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Supporting Content

Overview

Credits

Overview

Write a short summary of what happens in the film.

A wish list becomes the plea of a generation, when a teenage boy asks his mother what she wants for Christmas, and she answers in the most unusual way: “I wish for you to get your youth back” – along with all the ups and downs of growing up. She wishes for everything her son so deeply missed, during two years of the pandemic and hard restrictions in Germany.

In the film an intimate chamber play turns into a roller coaster ride of emotions at the very scene of the pandemic: a family’s home. We relive what could have been from parties, to falling in love and travelling. The mother's monologue, the seamless tracking shot and the reinterpretation of Bon Jovi's "It's my life" take us from youthful highs to the deep pain of first heartbreak. In four minutes, the film tells an entire coming of age drama.

Cultural / Context information for the jury

In Germany, the youth were among those who suffered most from the pandemic’s restrictions: with homeschooling, contact restrictions and long periods under lockdown, teenage life was basically cancelled. Their needs were overlooked and the impact on a whole generation’s mental health was underestimated. Their missed experiences, which would shape their lives forever, were never addressed in public.

Tell the jury anything relevant about the direction. Do not name the director.

The director was incredibly passionate about the whole project: From the careful casting to the intensive preparing of the studio-set, the seamless collaboration of DOP and steadicam and the fluent light and sound design. With a timeline that turns a chamber drama into a rollercoaster of emotions, we created a whole coming-of-age story in its four-minute runtime.

The actors deliver moving performances, while editing and cinematography skillfully frame the action. Cleverly connected shots and practically resolved transitions between day and night show off the limited setting. Seamless camerawork sweeps the viewer along and allows us to travel through time and experiences. The soundtrack rounds off the film as atmospheric cover of Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life”.

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