German Film Forum: In and Outside
When Will It Be Again Like It Never Was Before

Growing up on the premises of a major psychiatric clinic is… different. For Joachim, clinic director Meyerhoff’s youngest son, the inmates are almost part of his family. They’re much nicer to him than his older brothers, after all, who drive him up the wall. As he grows up, Joachim finds his first great love among his father’s patients, loses a brother, moves to the USA and finally returns to his extraordinary family. Based on the autobiographical novel by Joachim Meyerhoff, this incredibly funny and moving film deals with how hard it is to be a family.

Screenwriter, novelist and director Sonja Heiss grew up in Munich and lives in Berlin.

She attended Munich Film School while working as casting director for commercials, going on to direct commercials as well. Her student films “Karma Cowboy” and “Christina without Kaufmann” won numerous awards and were invited to international festivals. Her first feature film, “Hotel Very Welcome”, premiered at the Berlin Film Fest 2007 in the Perspective German Cinema sidebar, winning numerous prizes, including the First Steps Award. “Hedi Schneider is Stuck” (2015) also premiered at the Berlin Film Fest, in the Forum sidebar, and was screened at numerous international festivals, winning the Hessian Film Prize. For this film Heiss was nominated for the German Film Prize in the screenwriting category, Laura Tonke won the German Film Prize as Best Actress, as well as the German Actors’ Award.

Selected director’s filmography
2015: "Hedi Schneider is stuck", Feature film (Screenplay, Director)
2007: "Hotel Very Welcome", Feature film (Screenplay, Director, Producer)
2004: "Christina without Kaufmann", Short film (Screenplay and Director)
2001: "Karma Cowboy", Short film (Screenplay and Director in cooperation with Vanessa van Houten)
1999: "Schnell und Sauber", Short film (Screenplay and Director)