Of a Father’s Love

After breaking up with his girlfriend, Leon Noel Schardt heads back to his family’s home in rural Hesse. Leon hopes to find comfort but also answers on how to stay in contact with his emotionally distant family - especially after his decision to go to therapy because of his depression.

A journey into his own family history begins: From his parents‘ failed marriage, to the relationship between fathers and sons as well as other, deeper family conflicts. In his search for clues, Leon starts to understand how trauma can be passed on through generations and how he might be able to break the cycle.

  • Leon Noel Schardt
    Writer & Director
  • Leon Noel Schardt
    Producer
  • Marius Kast
    Producer
  • Marius Kast
    Director of Photography
  • David Marlow
    Score
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Eines Vaters Liebe
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 29 minutes 35 seconds
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    English, German
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Hochschule Darmstadt
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Hessischer Film- und Kinopreis 2022
    Frankfurt
    Germany
    No Screening
    Nominated for Best Graduation Film
  • 36. Bundes.Festival.Film.
    Augsburg
    Germany
    June 17, 2023
    World Premiere
    German Generation Film Award // Deutscher Generationenfilmpreis
Director Biography

Leon Noel Schardt, born in 1997, discovered his passion for cinema and film in his school days.
After his first short film projects, he decided to take the Motion Pictures course at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences in 2017 and focused on directing and editing.
In the short documentary "Thema Nummer Eins" he and his co-directors explored young adults' ability to communicate about their sex lives.
He earned his bachelor's degree working on the documentary "Of a Father's Love" which has since become his feature-length debut. He now works as an independent filmmaker and editor.

Leon Noel Schardt, geboren 1997, entdeckte zu Schulzeiten seine Leidenschaft für Kino und Film. Nach ersten Kurzfilm-Projekten entschied er sich 2017, den Studiengang Motion Pictures an der Hochschule Darmstadt zu belegen und legte seinen Fokus auf Regie und Schnitt.
In dem Kurz-Dokumentarfilm “Thema Nummer Eins” erforschte er mit seinen Co-Regisseurinnen die Kommunikationsfähigkeit junger Erwachsener über ihr Sexualleben.
Seinen Bachelor-Abschluss erlangte er mit der Arbeit an dem Dokumentarfilm “Eines Vaters Liebe”, der mittlerweile sein Langfilm-Debüt darstellt. Inzwischen arbeitet er als selbstständiger Filmemacher und Editor.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I am depressed and decided to go to therapy in 2020. In Germany women go to therapy twice as often as men. Men commit suicide five times as often as women. For certain a simplified correlation. However, emotionality, weakness, open communication - these values do not find much room in our traditional Image of men. And they do not find much room in my family. But I am emotional, communicative and very often feel weak.

"Of a Father's Love" stands for a more open approach, for trusting each other more and for allowing pain. I want to portray intergenerational trauma and universal conflicts beyond my personal family history. Even if it seems frightening, it is not impossible to break out of harmful patterns and to fight for betterment in one's own circle.

Ich bin depressiv und habe mich 2020 in Therapie begeben. In Deutschland begeben sich Frauen doppelt so häufig in Therapie wie Männer. Männer begehen fünfmal so oft Suizid wie Frauen. Eine sicherlich vereinfachte Korrelation. Emotionalität, Schwäche, offene Kommunikation - im klassischen Rollenbild des Mannes finden diese Werte jedoch keinen großen Platz - genauso wenig in meiner Familie. Ich als Mann bin aber emotional, kommunikativ und oft auch schwach.

„Eines Vaters Liebe“ steht für einen offeneren Umgang, für sich mehr Trauen und für Emotionen zulassen. Ich wollte über das persönliche Schicksal hinaus allgemeingültige Problematiken in Familien zeigen. Auch wenn es beängstigend scheint, ist es nicht unmöglich, aus Mustern auszubrechen und für Besserung im eigenen Kreis zu kämpfen.