Private Project

Somehow

Awards
*** Best Feature Film - Torino Underground Cinefest ***
*** Best Director - Torino Underground Cinefest ***
*** Best Actor - Torino Underground Cinefest ***
*** Best Actor - Calella Filmfestival ***
*** Best Feature Film - Cinalfama Lisbon International Film Festival ***
*** Best Debut Film - Cinalfama Lisbon International Film Festival ***

"An underground jewel, a manifesto of an independent cinema that appears as a hope for the future, Somehow is one of the future possibilities of the seventh art." - Roberto Valente via Arte Settima

As a child, Alex was abused by his father. Now, in his mid-thirties and himself a father, he is increasingly overstrained with his role. He doubts his ability to love, is afraid to become like his own father. Alex seeks refuge in alcohol and eventually drives off. Where? It doesn’t matter. Maybe Casablanca. Still in Germany, a strange woman suddenly gets into his car. She becomes his nonjudgemental companion.

No questions, no expectations. A run from oneself, the inner demons.
A turbulent journey through Europe starts: drugs, ecstasy, loose contacts, foreign places - they experience a surreal time in a state of intoxication, in the middle of nowhere.
The farther Alex moves away, the more he longs for his son. He has to face his demons on his own. They split up when crossing the border to africa. She reaches the destination, Casablanca. He crashes in a hotel room in Tanger and loses it completely in the vortex of his childhood trauma.

  • Aki T. Weisshaus
    Director
  • Aki T. Weisshaus
    Writer
  • Aki T. Weisshaus
    Producer
  • Alexander Peiler
    Key Cast
    "ALEX"
  • Ulrich Cyran
    Key Cast
    "HANK"
  • Kasimir
    Key Cast
    "SON"
  • Alicia Saleh
    Key Cast
    "MOTHER TANGIER"
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Road Movie, Drama
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 43 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 1, 2022
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Belgium, France, Germany, Morocco, Spain
  • Language:
    English, French
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2,35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • TUC
    Torino
    Italy
    September 27, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Calella Filmfestival
    Calella, Barcelona
    Spain
    October 1, 2022
    Spanish Premier
    Official Selection
  • TUC
    Torino
    Italy
    October 5, 2022
    Best Feature Film
  • TUC
    Torino
    Italy
    October 5, 2022
    Best Director
  • TUC
    Torino
    Italy
    October 5, 2022
    Best Actor
  • Calella Filmfestival
    Calella, Barcelona
    Spain
    October 8, 2022
    Best Actor
  • Catania Filmfestival
    Catania
    Italy
    November 27, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Cinalfama Lisbon International Film Festival
    Lisbon
    Portugal
    November 8, 2022
    Portugal Premiere
  • Cinalfama Lisbon International Film Festival
    Lisbon
    Portugal
    November 8, 2022
    Best Feature Film
  • Cinalfama Lisbon International Film Festival
    Lisbon
    Portugal
    November 8, 2022
    Best Debut Film
  • 46, Internationale Grenzlandfilmtage Selb
    Selb, Asch, Regensburg
    Germany
    April 14, 2023
    German Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Aki T. Weisshaus

With its debut film SOMEHOW the film collective Aki T. Weisshaus questions common power structures and stands for democratic, equal and anti-hierachical filmmaking.
The style is authentic and raw, the camera dynamic and close. The aim is an honest view of the world, the pursuit for truth - without putting a focus on artificial acting.
The collective wants to enrich the film scene which is characterized by common perceptions. Therefore it fathoms traditional forms of cinema. The portrayal of our time and its social structures is supposed to be free, brave, unembellished and radical. The audience is demanded, the viewing raw and thus extremely intensive. The film SOMEHOW stands for exactly this structurally courageous style.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

In 2018 a group of filmmakers, actors, writers and producers from different cities gathered together to discuss an unique film project: SOMEHOW. The movie tells the story of Alex, who tries to escape from his childhood trauma, without looking back. This could just be a fictional story but it is real, as the main actor reveals his own experiences from his childhood, with no holding back, as brutal and honest. This means there is no acting in the common sense, what happens in SOMEHOW is a true psychological journey in the soul of a real person.
We had one month to shoot the movie and went on a journey on our own. A trip through five countries, from Germany, through Belgium, France and Spain till we reached Morocco. A tiny Budget of 13.000 €, two cars and minimal technical equipment was all we had for this adventure. From the beginning it was clear for us that this movie cannot be done like any other movies. We needed to unite as a team, no hierarchy and no fixed positions. The team would gather together every morning and evening to discuss what comes next.. Every person in the group had equal rights. Although we had a script, the movie grew and developed spontaneously every day. We slept together in small rooms, ate together, shot together, lived together. All this makes SOMEHOW a unique movie, free from artificial influences. So we are proud to say that SOMEHOW is the work of all of us and that we shaped that film all together throughout the production process as a collective.

Aki T. Weisshaus