The language of Flowers

Nikolai lives with his gambling addicted mother Eve. To pay off their debts, he gets paid for sexual favors. Eve knows about it and urges her son to keep going to raise enough money. Nikolai gets deeper and deeper into a world which he is afraid to enjoy.

  • Lukas Materzok
    Director
    Charlotte's Skye
  • Lukas Materzok
    Writer
    Charlotte's Skye
  • Sophia Glänzer
    Producer
  • Leon Schädlich
    Key Cast
    "Nikolai"
  • Andrea Quirbach
    Key Cast
    "Eve"
  • Sam Michelson
    Key Cast
    "Lars"
  • Saskia Keilbach
    Key Cast
    "Finn"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 4 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 21, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    7,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    German
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1:1.85
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Hochschule Darmstadt
Director Biography - Lukas Materzok

Director and screenwriter Lukas Materzok was born on October 11, 1993 in Germany and studied film at the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences. His short films deal with interpersonal relationships, whereby he focuses on the weaknesses and longings of his characters. With an aesthetic that is close to character, Materzok sensitively stages the beauty of vulnerable people. He successfully completed his studies with the short film "The language of Flowers", which takes up the topics of addiction, sex work and sexuality.

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Director Statement

“The language of Flowers” tells the story of a friend I got to know four years ago. We often sat together late into the night. When his mother was still not home in the morning, he became visibly restless and noticed almost casually that she was probably gambling again. A sentence that moved me a lot back then. Later I found out that he had to borrow 200 euros from a friend in order to be able to buy food at all. In return, he gave his body. His mother knew about it but didn't find it objectionable. She only saw the opportunity to get money quickly and pay off her gambling debts.
With “The language of Flowers” I would like to draw attention to topics that are often overlooked. Issues that fortunately seem very distant, almost surreal to some people, but are reality for others. Sex work and gambling addiction. It is often very difficult for children to turn away from their parents who are obviously abusive. They are dependent on them and always try to fight for love and recognition, no matter how hopeless it may seem.