Closed Season

About The Film

An unorthodox arrangement between a childless German peasant couple and a Jewish war refugee leads to complications in CLOSED SEASON, a historical drama charged with eroticism and unexpected twists.

Told in flashback and bookended by a German student’s search for his biological father in 1970s Israel, the crux of the action takes place on a remote farm in the mountains of the Black Forest during WWII. Fleeing to Switzerland to escape Nazi persecution, Albert (Christian Friedel) is given shelter by villagers Fritz (Hans-Jochen Wagner) and Emma (Brigitte Hobmeier). Unable to conceive, the impotent farmer proposes that Albert father a child with Emma, effectively offering sanctuary in exchange for progeny. At first repelled by the idea, Emma eventually relents, only to find herself falling for the young stranger. A cauldron of jealousy and betrayal erupts, while frequent visits by an old family friend and Nazi patrolman (Thomas Loibl) add another layer of suspense.

Best Actress and Ecumenical Jury Prize winner at the Montréal World Film Festival.