BERLIN – A profound exploration of the parent-child dynamic and what it means to truly be part (or not part) of the other's life describes Alissa Jung's first work Paternal Leave, previewed in the "Generation 14plus" section of the Berlinale, soon to be theatrically distributed by Vision. The director chose her husband, Luca Marinelli, to play the role of an absent father. "I found it very natural to act for my wife – he said. “There is no one I know better and in whom I have so much trust. That act of trust which an actor exchanges with a director in just one meeting came, this time, very naturally and with deep roots. I knew it would be impossible to hide in any way from her, and so working together was very stimulating".
The lead character is Leo, a young German girl who, alone, angry and looking for answers, decides to travel to the Riviera Romagnola to meet her biological father, Paolo, for the first time. Their initial meeting brings a whirlwind of emotions. Paolo is taken aback by her sudden arrival. It destabilizes him, reopening dormant wounds, and calls into question the fragile balance of his new family. At first, Leo is only looking for answers but soon the desire to belong takes over. In the days that follow, father and daughter create a bond, one made of hesitations and small steps, and their still fragile connection is put to the test.
"In the film, two people meet who are at a similar critical moment in their lives. Only that one has the right to be there, Leo, while the other gets there a little late compared to their stage in life. Leo’s arrival is one of the most beautiful gifts in Paolo’s existence, he is forced to stand before a mirror and see who is really behind it. The film presents us with the awareness of the stratification of life, of its multiple difficulties, and the many wonders that we can still, always, encounter”.
The film is a co-production The Match Factory (Germany) and Wildside (Italy) with the support of Emilia-Romagna Film Commission who provided financing through the Region’s Audiovisual Fund for national and international production companies.
The story takes place on a deserted beach on the Italian coast in a kiosk closed for the winter. Set on the deserted winter beaches of the Riviera Romagnola, filming took place mostly around Ravenna, and also in Cesena, mainly the areas near the train station and Corso Cavour, near the Spinosi bakery.
“The choice of Romagna happened a bit by chance”, admits the director. “I was there, with my daughter, at an unusual time, after the summer season when I first had the idea for the film. I saw this closed, locked place, and I thought it could perfectly represent the character of the parent I had in mind. It was a fitting place for a father who closes himself off, who wants to be alone, surrounded by dunes that isolate and defend. Leo is the sea that comes to attack this dune”.