Goethe-Kino Cinema: Skin Deep – Film by Alex Schaad (English Subtitles)

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Goethe-Institut London

Join us at our Cinema Goethe-Kino  for a thought-provoking film experience with "Skin Deep" by Alex Schaad – with English subtitles!

Goethe-Kino

Goethe-Kino is our monthly series of contemporary German cinema, outstanding TV productions and film classics. All movies are shown with English subtitles unless otherwise specified. Watch them at our cinema or online.

The futuristic possibility of body-swapping is at the centre of this atmospheric exploration of how our bodies shape our identity, set on a remote island at the end of summer.It’s summer. Tristan and Leyla are on their way to a remote island, having been invited by Leyla’s old friend, Stella. From the moment they arrive, things feel kind of strange. Soon, they find themselves among several other couples, all drawn to the island by the prospect of a mysterious and unusual experience: At a festive dinner under the open sky, a lottery determines which couples will swap bodies. A simple ritual is all it takes—and Tristan and Leyla find themselves inhabiting the bodies of Mo and Fabienne. But will they enjoy their new physical forms? And more importantly, will they still love each other while trapped in the bodies of strangers?Unlike most body-swap films, the characters in this story willingly exchange bodies. There’s no accidental generational leap or involuntary switch between genders. The focus isn’t merely on seeing the world through someone else’s eyes—it’s a deeper exploration of how our bodies shape our identities, and how mind and body influence one another. For the cast—primarily actors from the theatre—this presented a unique challenge. They had to portray both their original characters and their swapped counterparts, developing a consistent set of movements and expressions that would make each character recognizable, regardless of the body they inhabited.Director Alex Schaad co-wrote the script with his brother, Dimitrij Schaad, who plays Mo (and Tristan in Mo). The brothers were surprised when their reflective, intimate film won the Queer Lion at the 2022 Venice Film Festival during Critics’ Week, and even more so when it was positively reviewed in queer publications. This recognition may be a clue that the film’s portrayal of relationships goes beyond traditional heterosexual dynamics.Germany 2022. Colour, 104 mins. With English subtitles.Directed and written by Alex Schaad. Co-written by Dimitrij Schaad. With Jonas Dassler, Mala Emde, Maryam Zaree, Dimitrij Schaad, Edgar Selge, Adam Bousdoukos, Sema Poyraz, Thomas Wodianka.Find out more about our cultural events: <a href="https://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/en/sta/lon/ver.cfm" title="https://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/en/sta/lon/ver.cfm" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Events - Goethe-Institut London - United Kingdom</a>Subscribe to our cultural newsletter: <a href="https://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/en/new.html" title="https://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/en/new.html" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Newsletter</a>Follow us on social media: <a href="https://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/en/som.html" title="https://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/en/som.html" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Social Media of the Goethe-Institut London</a>