Private Project

Past Polo Future

PAST POLO FUTURE is a road movie and documentary, following Sarah (director) and Julia (cinematographer), two friends about 40. Not sure what their life plans could, should or must be now, the two set off in a silver Polo to visit four women from Sarah's childhood who were ready to tear it all down in the 80s.
Hitting the road, the friends find the women in dachas, agencies and spa-towns. Conversations with them reveal their inspirational disobedience in the past. Their non conformist attitude paved ways. But Julia and Sarah are surprised to find the women distancing themselves from each other with the same conviction that once made them rebels.
The two filmmakers do also meet Sarah's childhood friends. As girls they all grew up living and playing in the same street. Sat on the ping pong table, over canned beer and chips they discuss what it means to be life long friends. The sun is setting. The present is sweeter when you know about the past!

  • Sarah Paar
    Director
  • Sarah Paar
    Writer
  • Julia J Geiß
    Writer
  • Andi Pek
    Writer
  • Sarah Paar
    Producer
  • Andi Pek
    Edit
  • Julia J Geiß
    Cinematography
  • Sally Shamas
    Colorist
  • Birte Gerstenkorn
    Sounddesign
  • Sven Jensen-Brakelmann
    Soundmix
  • Cornelius Miller
    Music
  • Slawek Michalt
    Graphic Artist
  • Diva De Agostino
    Translation
  • Sybille Paar
    Protagonist
  • Heidi
    Protagonist
  • Annelies Steiner
    Protagonist
  • Karin Hoffmann
    Protagonist
  • Gerd Finke
    Protagonist
  • Yasmin Fernandes
    Protagonist
  • Lena Oberbäumer
    Protagonist
  • Lisa Hoffmann
    Protagonist
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    road movie
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 10 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    August 1, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    15,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    German
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.85:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Sarah Paar

Sarah Paar completed her studies in Visual Communication at the School Of Art Kassel, Germany in 2006. She then studied Screenwriting and Directing in Berlin at the Filmarche. Between 2003 and 2010, Sarah directed five short films and started earning a living as a production driver.
When not driving, Sarah draws comic books, takes time for whatever, or makes films.

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Director Statement

It started with Julia and me taking road trips and spontaneously visiting people. Mostly people from our past. We found ourselves in strange coffee-drinking situations with unknown fathers, or walking through a house full of raging dogs. At the end of these trips we were amazed how cinematic our encounters had been. Julia thought I should write a screenplay based on it.
But instead of fictionalizing our experiences, we hit the road over a week and took the camera with us. Luckily, Julia was up for visiting some great women I grew up with. Back in the 80s, these women were ready to breakdown the parental and societal restrictions around them. Their battle was somehow lost on me as I grew up and I wondered how meeting them would affect mine and maybe Julias life plans today.
I had the idea to let the conversations between Julia and I be part of the film. When I talk to her as she films me, it includes the viewers on the journey with us. At the same time, it creates room for Julia and I to discuss the filmmaking process and our thoughts on what the protagonists told us. An element, similar to a podcast. So in our film, our perspectives are put up for discussion as much as the statements of the protagonists. And we bring the past in to the present. In the end it's all timetravel. Ideas from the past are still vivid in the now, but different!

In my imagination, our documentary would be about friendship and feminism. It would take me back to what made me me and answer Julia's and my questions about who we want to be, now and in the future. Past Polo Future is all that.