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- In Between Fridays
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In Between Fridays

Director: Maximilian Geschke / 97 min. / 2023 / German (ST: English, German, Spanish, Swedish, Portuguese, Dutch, Italian, French) / Germany

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The “Pizza Night” is not only a weekly celebration for the dropout community in southern Portugal but also their main source of livelihood. However, as the pandemic sets in, they find themselves in financial distress. An empathetic glimpse into their ups and downs as they search for solutions to sustain their community.

Director: Maximilian Geschke
Cinematography: Annemarie Chladek
Editing: Henrike Dosk
Production: Maximilian Geschke, Aljoscha Habel

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Synopsis

The film portrays the daily life of a community of drop-outs in the mountains of Monchique, who have come up with an unusual business idea. Pizza Night – a weekly party that has become one of the biggest events in southern Portugal and the community’s main source of income. The film focuses on German expat Rudi, the founder and leader of the small village of Tojeiro, his former partner Katharina, their son Francesco and Rudi’s current partner Bea. The film follows their lives away from the notorious parties and their lives with up to 80 other international helpers in their new home. Is the event really a morally and environmentally acceptable source of income and how do the members justify their lifestyle?

The outbreak of the global pandemic forces the community to temporarily close its doors to outsiders, and the organisers find themselves in increasing financial difficulties. The community needs nearly €70,000 in donations, reserves and loans to continue. The question is how the community can survive independently in the long term.

Filminfo

CREW
Director & Producer: Maximilian Geschke
Director of Photography: Annemarie Chladek
Editor: Henrike Dosk
Sounddesign & -mixing: Wolfgang Adams
Color Grading: Morris Kappes
Animation: Janco Harry Willer
Creative Producer: Aljoscha Habel

Soundtrack: Flimboy, KRZ & Georgen, Jacques Suprise
Additional Music: Naomi And The Raposeira Dub Collective, Julian Wassermann, Al-Jive Mestizo (Alberto Ciotta) & Nina Simmons (Davide Vizio & Jacopo Albini), Ed Solo & Deekline, Sound Iration, Victor Pilava, Wolgang Adams

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Filmography

Maximilian Geschke
The young Berlin-based filmmaker and producer is always on the lookout for extraordinary stories that take him and his audience into a fascinating world beyond the ordinary. For years he has been working for renowned documentary production companies on projects for various public broadcasters. For his debut film In Between Fridays, he won the “Best First Time Director, Documentary” award at the Portugal Indie Film Festival 2023.

Director's note

When Aljoscha told me about Pizza Night during our first trip around Portugal a few years ago, I was skeptical. Why should we drive 30 kilometers for an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet? Even during the drive to Tojeiro, I remained doubtful. Hilly roads with potholes as big as bicycle tires led us to the base of a small mountain, from which we followed the crowds of people towards the entrance.

After our first walk across the grounds, all of my doubts had evaporated. Everything seemed improvised and chaotic, yet exactly as it should be. I was fascinated by the unique nature of the place and the warmth radiated by the people there. Rudi was just as quirky as the place itself. Despite his wizened appearance, he was an educated, ambitious man. Even then, I wondered what motivated him and what his goals and plans would be for this very special place.

These thoughts resurfaced again at the beginning of the pandemic. I was keen to find out how the community would ensure its survival during this turbulent time, so I contacted Rudi again. He told me about the situation on the ground and how he was working on a concept to reopen the commune. It became clear to me that this had to be the moment to revisit Tojeiro, observing and documenting the life of the local community.

And thus, the foundation for the documentary was laid.