As Ollie’s desire to transition grows, his girlfriend Sterre is at his side. First taking the form of a jokey “lesbo-vlog”, the process of filming it soon morphs into a dialogue spanning several years. In it, Ollie asks Sterre to affirm her love for him, which he struggles to believe; feeling love for himself is an even greater struggle. At the same time, the testosterone injections and the mastectomy demand both strength and presence. Through interviews, texts, home videos and photographs, “kiss kiss bang bang” reveals the emotional world of two people, showing them grappling to understand what’s happening as well as the mutual care they have for one another. The insights are radically honest, vulnerable and brave. As they willingly reveal numerous puzzle pieces of a most personal nature, the image of a long-term relationship and the work that goes along with it comes into view. Ollie Launspach’s debut film is a gift – and an appeal to keep going.

Carolin Weidner

What starts as affectionate cuddling, hugging and strokes soon morphs into uneasy closeness and ultimately panic. The shift takes place gradually. Some gentle tickling marks the point where a boundary is approached, which is soon crossed. The playful exchange between these two fluffy characters transforms inexorably into a free for all that’s no longer funny. The puppet design, the precise animation, the lighting and the camerawork make intimacy tangible in all its facets, from pleasant to repulsive. A film that gets under the skin.

Franka Sachse

In this silhouette film, Manfred Seifert demonstrates the disastrous consequences of thoughtless waste disposal – true to the motto: You reap what you sow. Sometimes recycling can be a one-way street when people act as depicted in the film. As topical today as it was in the early 1980s.

Meike Weimann