Nico

A brief moment, an unexpected outbreak of violence, and nothing is the way it used to be: Nico, the life-affirming, self-confident geriatric nurse, is actually popular with everyone: the patients love her easy-going, understanding manner. After work, the young German-Iranian enjoys the Berlin summer in the park with her best friend Rosa. Then a racially motivated attack changes everything, her self-image as well as her position in life and society: Nico is not only abruptly torn from her carefree everyday life. She also realizes that she doesn't belong to German society as naturally as she always thought, and how much racism actually surrounds her. Plagued by memories of the terrible attack, Nico withdraws more and more into herself. Not only does Rosa lose touch with her, but her patients don't recognize the once cheerful young woman either. Nico senses that things can't go on like this and turns to the rugged karate world champion Andy. Through his tough training program, Nico manages to channel her anger and regain her strength. But at the same time, she loses touch with herself and her old life. Life is not the “Karate Kid” after all. Psychological wounds cannot simply be closed by physical means... Behind the succinct title “Nico” lies the finely branched feature film debut of dffb graduate Eline Gehring, consisting of many casually inserted pieces of information and perspectives. With almost documentary-like immediacy and great credibility, she stages Nico's path back to life and back to himself. Sara Fazilat (also screenplay and production) plays the lead role with impressive physical presence as the traumas inscribe themselves on her body and she tries to shake them off. The result is a multifaceted story of belonging, self-empowerment, resilience and friendship.