Experiencing Interruptions?

Zina

Zina has not really slept for 13 nights. Every night when she falls asleep she has the same terrible, recurring nightmare. But is it really just a dream, or is she being haunted by an entity that drains her of her life energy night after night? Zina talks to therapist Dr. Lupu about it. But is the danger perhaps even coming from Zina herself?

  • Joe Paul Kienast
    Director
  • Joe Paul Kienast
    Writer
  • Daniel Manfred Gonzalez Weiß
    Producer
  • Joe Paul Kienast
    Producer
  • Hanna Werth
    Producer
  • Hanna Werth
    Key Cast
    "Zina"
    Lupo
  • Phillipp Alfons Heitmann
    Key Cast
    "Thomas"
    Lupo
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 52 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 14, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    500 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    German
  • Shooting Format:
    Blackmagic 4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Joe Paul Kienast

Joe was born 1982, studied Philosophy and Sociology
at the University of Bremen and Film
and English at the University of California, LA.
In the course of his PhD studies at Leipzig University
of Music and Theatre „Felix Mendelssohn
Bartholdy“ he furthered his education in the field of dramaturgy. Afterwards Joe worked in theatre, advertising, television and film.
Joe has already realized his last short film THE COUCH with greatartig. The film has been successfully
screened at many festivals and won multiple awards. It has also been broadcasted by multiple german TV channels such as ARD,
MDR, RBB and 3sat. Joe has also worked on the Grimme Awardwinning Netflix original series SKYLINES.
He is currently working on the screenplay for his feature film debut .

Joe Paul Kienast, geboren 1982, studierte Philosophie und Soziologie an der Universität Bremen sowie Film und Englisch an der University of California, LA.
Von 2009 bis 2013 war Joe als Mitarbeiter am Schauspielinstitut der Hochschule für Musik und Theater„Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy“ Leipzig tätig. Im Zuge eines Promotionsstudiums hat er sich dort im Fachbereich der Dramaturgie weitergebildet.
Danach arbeitete Joe in den Bereichen Film, Fernsehen, Theater, Imagefilm und Werbung.
Derzeit arbeitet er als Regisseur und Drehbuchautor.
Bereits seinen letzten Kurzfilm “Die Couch“ hat Joe mit greatartig umgesetzt. Dieser konnte erfolgreich auf Festivals (inkl. Preisen) der ARD, dem MDR dem RBB ausgewertet werden. In den letzten Jahren hat Joe unter anderem für die mit dem Grimme-Preis ausgezeichnete Netflix-Serie SKYLINES gearbeitet. Auch hier standen für ihn starke Frauenfiguren im Fokus seiner Arbeit. Joe arbeitet
derzeit an seinem Drehbuch geförderten Langspielfilmdebüt, das er ebenfalls mit greatartig umsetzen wird.

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Director Statement

ZINA is a riddle of the subconscious mind. Our subconscious speaks to us in our dreams and tells us about our desires, repressions and fears. ZINA plays with the ambiguity and enigma of our subconscious and how this shapes our relationship to the world. What is real, what is dream? What is the truth, what is a lie? Is what someone says what she or he means? Can we really be sure that only what we can perceive with our senses exists in this world?
The film addresses these questions in the context of a horror drama that deals with the theme of adultery. The genre framework allows for an exaggeration that not only contributes to the entertaining nature of the film, but by delving into the surreal of unconscious processes, allows for a mysteriousness that challenges the viewer to solve this riddle of the subconscious.