Isabelle Stever’s Locarno main competition title “I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming,” produced by Tom Tykwer, has been picked up for world sales by France’s Outplay Films.
Produced by Tykwer and Uwe Schott at Berlin-based X Filme Creative Pool and written by Anna Melikova, the film follows Olya and Oleh, a young queer Ukrainian couple whose love is put to the test when one partner’s gender transition collides with Russia’s full-scale invasion. As war narrows and challenges the boundaries of masculinity and femininity, they struggle to preserve their bond and sense of self.
“As a Ukrainian-German filmmaking duo, we aimed to create a film that neither looks away from war nor lets it define every image,” Stever and Melikova said in a joint statement. “We place war’s violence alongside fragile quiet, fear alongside tenderness, and the extraordinary beside the everyday.
“Inspired by our Ukrainian friends’ journey through gender transition, we explore war’s irresistible transition into everyday life,” they added. “By juxtaposing two profound transformations – one chosen, one imposed, we reflect on the topic of identity under extreme conditions. We are grateful to have found soulmates/ kindred spirits in Outplay which will gently guide the film forward with a deep understanding of its complex and sensitive themes.”
