Emily Atef
Birth : 1973-01-01, Berlin, Germany
History
Emily Atef (born 6 May, 1973; Berlin) is a German filmmaker based in Berlin.
At the age of 7, Atef moved from Berlin to Los Angeles with her French-Iranian parents and her brother the drummer Cyril Atef. She was 13 when they moved to France, where Atef finished school, and later she went to London to work as an actor in the London theater scene. Atef returned to Berlin to study film direction at the prestigious Deutsche Film und Fernsehakademie Berlin.
Her first feature-length film Molly's Way which, like her 2 following feature films was co-authored by Esther Bernstorff received an advancement award at the Filmfest München (film festival Munich) in 2005 for best script and the Grand Jury Award at the Mar del Plata Film Festival, the only A-Festival in South America as well as several other awards. Her second feature-length film The Stranger in Me which deals with a young mother having postnatal depression also received several awards and was screened at the International Critics' Week of the Cannes Film Festival. In 2017, Emily Atef wrote and directed the feature film 3 Days in Quiberon It depicts 3 emotional days of one of Europe's biggest stars, Romy Schneider where she gave her last German interview to ‘Stern’ magazine. 3 Days in Quiberon had its world premiere in the competition section of the 68. Berlin International Film Festival and competed for the Golden Bear. 3 Days in Quiberon was the big winner at the German Academy Awards in 2018 taking home seven Lolas. In 2022 her film More Than Ever, starring Vicky Krieps and Gaspard Ulliel, was shown in the section Un certain regard at the 75th Cannes Film Festival.
Executive Producer
An adaptation of Daniela Krien’s novel, this coming-of-age story set in the 1990s, amidst the last days of the GDR. The 17-year-old protagonist, Maria, lives on a farm with her boyfriend. One day, an older man moves into the neighbourhood. Maria and Henner start a love affair, which takes a tragic turn.
Writer
An adaptation of Daniela Krien’s novel, this coming-of-age story set in the 1990s, amidst the last days of the GDR. The 17-year-old protagonist, Maria, lives on a farm with her boyfriend. One day, an older man moves into the neighbourhood. Maria and Henner start a love affair, which takes a tragic turn.
Director
An adaptation of Daniela Krien’s novel, this coming-of-age story set in the 1990s, amidst the last days of the GDR. The 17-year-old protagonist, Maria, lives on a farm with her boyfriend. One day, an older man moves into the neighbourhood. Maria and Henner start a love affair, which takes a tragic turn.
Writer
Hélène, a 33-year-old woman from Bordeaux, France, lives happily as a couple with Mathieu, her husband of many years. Her life turns upside down the day she learns she has a rare lung disease. Thanks to a blog, she discovers Norway and decides to follow her instinct. Despite all the love she has for her life partner Mathieu, who is very supportive through her illness, she leaves him behind in France and will cross all Europe to Norway alone in search of a new path and to meet a blogger named Mister that she found on the internet.
Director
Hélène, a 33-year-old woman from Bordeaux, France, lives happily as a couple with Mathieu, her husband of many years. Her life turns upside down the day she learns she has a rare lung disease. Thanks to a blog, she discovers Norway and decides to follow her instinct. Despite all the love she has for her life partner Mathieu, who is very supportive through her illness, she leaves him behind in France and will cross all Europe to Norway alone in search of a new path and to meet a blogger named Mister that she found on the internet.
Director
A bag with over 600,000 euros in cash, just like that in a towed car: When Maren, who works at a car depot, finds the bag, she cannot resist the temptation. She takes the money for herself. Her husband Dennis is shocked. But he is in a wheelchair after an accident. It will be a long time before he can walk again, and whether the insurance will pay is uncertain. The unexpected money is a blessing and gives Maren and Dennis a real perspective.
Writer
1981, Quiberon, a small village on the coast of Brittany, France. Hilde Fritsch arrives to visit her old friend who has retreated to a spa hotel to escape the daily pressures of her life. Her friend is world-famous star Romy Schneider, but together, they appear like two regular women who are just happy to be reunited. Yet it quickly becomes apparent that Hilde is supposed to offer the support the sensitive actress needs to be able to truly face her own demons.
Director
1981, Quiberon, a small village on the coast of Brittany, France. Hilde Fritsch arrives to visit her old friend who has retreated to a spa hotel to escape the daily pressures of her life. Her friend is world-famous star Romy Schneider, but together, they appear like two regular women who are just happy to be reunited. Yet it quickly becomes apparent that Hilde is supposed to offer the support the sensitive actress needs to be able to truly face her own demons.
Director
A family drama about a German teenager who leaves home totally unexpectedly to join the ranks of the so-called Islamic State (IS) in its armed struggle. When the boy's father and older brother set off on an adventurous journey to the Syrian border, they manage to find him and bring him back to Germany. However, back home, questions start being asked: did he return of his own free will, has he disassociated himself from the IS ideology, or is he in fact a 'sleeper' agent awaiting orders?
Director
The life of Marie and Peter seems perfect, but their greatest wish remains unfulfilled: a family of their own. After several painfully failed attempts to have a child by natural means, Marie and Peter decide to try adoption in Russia. Carried by their longing and after many months of preparation and waiting, they set off to get to know their future daughter Nina in a children's home thousands of kilometers away from Germany. They still have no idea that they are only at the beginning of a tour de force against the Russian authorities – and they are facing the biggest challenge for their relationship, because while Marie and Peter are fighting for their future child, the question is: are we still pursuing the same goal? Each for himself – and especially as a couple?
Director
Inge and Ludwig are full-time farmers in the Black Forest, with dairy cows and a dairy. Everything organic, all the highest quality. Despite the hard work, it is a fulfilling life. Would not it be the financial situation. As much as the two work, the debts devour them, the farm is endangered. Inge decides to look for a part-time job. When the opportunity arises to start with an escort service, she gets involved. And the plan works. But the relationship is put to the test when one of Inge's clients falls in love with her and the situation escalates.
Writer
A teenage girl helps an escaped fugitive flee Germany into France, after extracting a promise that he will help her commit suicide.
Director
A teenage girl helps an escaped fugitive flee Germany into France, after extracting a promise that he will help her commit suicide.
Screenplay
A young couple in love: Rebecca (32) and her boyfriend Julian (34) are expecting their first child and are full of pleasant expectation. As Rebecca gives birth to a healthy boy their luck seems to be perfect. But instead of the unconditional motherly love she was expecting she is thrown into an emotional turmoil. Helplessness and desperation reign and her own baby is a stranger to her. With every day that passes her inability to meet the demands of motherhood become more and more apparent. Unable to admit this to anyone, not even Julian, she falls into a deep darkness - to the point that she realises she is becoming a threat to her child. Now only unconditional love can bring her back on track…
Director
A young couple in love: Rebecca (32) and her boyfriend Julian (34) are expecting their first child and are full of pleasant expectation. As Rebecca gives birth to a healthy boy their luck seems to be perfect. But instead of the unconditional motherly love she was expecting she is thrown into an emotional turmoil. Helplessness and desperation reign and her own baby is a stranger to her. With every day that passes her inability to meet the demands of motherhood become more and more apparent. Unable to admit this to anyone, not even Julian, she falls into a deep darkness - to the point that she realises she is becoming a threat to her child. Now only unconditional love can bring her back on track…
Writer
Though she only knows his first name and that he ‘works in coal’, Molly, a young Irish woman, travels to a small Polish town to find the man with whom she had a memorable one-night stand several months before. Armed with nothing more than a postcard and her own tenacity, she sets about finding her past lover, despite her landlord’s admonishments that all the coal mines closed years ago.
Director
Though she only knows his first name and that he ‘works in coal’, Molly, a young Irish woman, travels to a small Polish town to find the man with whom she had a memorable one-night stand several months before. Armed with nothing more than a postcard and her own tenacity, she sets about finding her past lover, despite her landlord’s admonishments that all the coal mines closed years ago.
Zelda
Marseille describes an interlude in the life of young Berlin photographer Sophie. Wanting a change, Sophie does an apartment swap, so she can go photograph the city of Marseille, and most of all get away from Berlin.
Writer
Director
Director
Documentary about refugees in Berlin
Director
Director
Interview with "Jake" a young transgendered Brit who is undergoing the process of changing from female to male.
