Pingpong

What happens behind closed doors in idyllic suburbia? On a pristine summer afternoon, Anna suns herself in the backyard with dog Schumann and husband Stefan at her side. The melodious echoes of their virtuoso son Robert playing the piano resonate in the background. Everything is as it should be. Or at least it appears that way. The unexpected arrival of Anna and Stefan's 16-year-old nephew Paul disturbs the eerie serenity of this picturesque afternoon. Paul is still mourning his father's recent suicide, but no one, except overly blunt Robert, seems to be talking about it. Anna and Stefan are most concerned about how long Paul plans to stay. When Stefan gets called away on business, a disgruntled Anna is left behind with the two teenagers and her dog. On these hot summer afternoons, an old ping pong table is the only source of amusement, but it doesn't ease the unspoken hostility between stubborn Robert, brooding Paul, and manipulative Anna. In the isolated backyard of Matthias Luthardt's PINGPONG, family tension escalates, and we are all waiting to see when the ball will drop. (In German with English subtitles) – E.J.B.