DAS HAUS/ THE HOUSE

Germany, 2021, 90 minutes, Colour.

Tobias Moretti, Valery Tscheplanosa, Hans-Jochen Wagner.

Directed by Rick Ostermann.

The house is a different kind of science-fiction/science fantasy. It has a brief running time.

The setting is 2029, the near future. A more right-wing, fascist-style government is coming into power. Johan (Bertrand German actor Tobias Moretti, The German Lesson) is a journalist who has published against the authorities and is taking refuge, with his wife, an activist, on an island where he has built a very modern house, comfortable, on the sea, but with a swimming pool, and all kinds of technological development.

The wife is in contact with some rebels who eventually turn up at the house but the house turns on them and they are killed. The technology seems to be taking control – but, as the narrative develops, Johan identifies with the house and the house identifies with him, he having control of the house in the house having control of him.

Ultimately, there is conflict with his wife concerning the rebels as well as a visit from his journalist partner who wants to get a story for him for his own advancement, fight, shots.

Finally, there is an image of the wife outside the glass door of the house with Johan inside. She escapes. Johan is identified with and within the house.

1. The title? The house as a character, power?
2. The 2029 setting? German right-wing politics? The media? Bans and threats?
3. The visuals of the island, from above, vegetation, the house, the exteriors of the house, architectural design, beauty, the interiors and the range? The musical score?
4. The explanation of the situation, Johan and his being banned, the clash with his collaborator, escaping with his wife, the house, Farhood and his bringing the food, caretaker? The arrival on the boat, self-steered, moving into the house, at home and the house?
5. Lucia, her relationship with Johan, love, sexuality, the background of politics, her social activity, the connections with Leyla, phone communication with her? Her support of Johan? The interlude with the cigarettes?
6. Settling into the house, the warm shower rather than hot, the explanation that the house had to get to know Lucia? Johan, identifying with the house, his commands? The house identifying with Johan and his behaviour, attitudes?
7. The controls, the technology, surveillance? The red eye? The screens? Leyla arriving, Alex, dependence on Lucia? The house and its reaction, the going to the sauna, their deaths? The discovery?
8. The technicians, the house resisting change?
9. The power of the house, Johan identifying, the situation with Lucia, the arrival of his collaborator, wanting the story, blackmail, the fight, the gun, the shooting?
10. Lucia, her reaction, the bag, the truth about her political connections? Her dismay at the deaths? Outside the glass wall?
11. Johan, identifying with the house, inside the house? Lucia leaving?
12. The long final sequence, Johan, tracking through the house, the island? The future?