Allegro Pastell
Nordic Premiere
Saturday 12.9. at 8 PM, Teltta
Sunday 13.9. at 4:30 PM, Alō
Fiction, 2026, Germany
Director: Anna Roller
Duration: 1 h 40 min
Themes: Berlin, Frankfurt, Lisbon, romance, millennials
Language: German, English subtitles
Age rating: 15
Director Anna Roller will be present at the screening, in cooperation with Goethe-Institut Finnland.
Allegro Pastell, arriving for its Nordic premiere in Karhupuisto, is characterized by themes familiar to Kallio residents: freelance work, open relationships, and struggles with identity and future plans.
Based on Leif Randt's bestselling novel, which became a sensation in Germany, this romantic portrayal of millennials transports us to the summer of 2018 and a bumpy relationship: 33-year-old Tanja is a writer from Berlin, and 35-year-old Jerome is a web designer who has recently returned to his parents' apartment near Frankfurt.
Initially, the long-distance relationship works. They communicate in the style of 2018 with long emails, and when they meet, passion ignites. The situation escalates on Tanja's birthday when Jerome creates her own website as a gift.
Allegro Pastell refers to an existential transformation as the pace of one's twenties begins to slow down, and more serene pastel shades creep in alongside the vivid ones. Yet, settling down feels daunting.
The film, which beautifully transitions from the clubs and parks of Berlin to the streets of Frankfurt and Lisbon, offers a visual feast – Felix Pflieger's cinematography, Lena Müller's and Luisa Rauschert's set design, and Belle Santos's costume design paint strong contrasts against the backdrop of the characters' nuanced emotions.
Max Rieger's ambient music combines with the spirit of the era, eurodance, Robyn, and the house beats of Roman Flügel and Gerd Janson.
Director Anna Roller, who is gaining significant traction in Germany, will be present at the screening to introduce her film. Its fuel is a gentle nostalgia for a time when hangovers were milder, tomorrow wasn't stressful, and the world seemed simply coherent. Perhaps one day we will look back at autumn 2026 with similar longing.
In cooperation with Goethe-Institut Finnland.
Other credits:
Main cast: Sylvaine Faligant, Jannis Niewöhner, Haley Louise Jones
Screenplay: Leif Randt
Cinematography: Felix Pflieger
Editing: Andreas Wodraschke
Set design: Luisa Rauschert, Lena Müller
Sound design: Tilo Ehmann
Costume design: Belle Santos
Makeup and hair design: Sabeth Kelwing Jimenez
Producers: Tobias Walker, Philipp Worm
Production company: Walker + Worm Film
