Emancipation or eMANcipation (German: Emannzipation; styled as eMANNzipation) is a 2011 independent drama feature film directed by Philipp Müller-Dorn. The movie had its world premiere on October 25, 2011 at the Kansas International Film Festival where it won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film.
Müller-Dorn initially came up with the idea for the film in 2006 after reading a newspaper article about a shelter for abused men in Hamburg. Since it turned out to be difficult to find abused men who were willing to talk about their experiences, the research phase took a lot longer than Müller-Dorn expected and the screenplay of eMANcipation was finished in early 2010. Principal shooting took place in Berlin and Guxhagen in Northern Hessia in July and August 2010.
From 2012 to 2020 eMANcipation was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the USA distributed by Olive Films. Since fall 2021 it is available on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Microsoft Store in 56 countries around the world.
Dominik Liebmann is a man at the end of his rope. He has seemingly lost all he had: his job, his house, his wife, his son, his fortune and even his dignity. Without a penny in his pocket he enters Berlin's only shelter for battered men. He meets Holger, the head of the 'Männerhaus' and its members. After a psychiatric evaluation by the youth welfare office, he is ordered to engage in the group therapy session of the men's shelter so he can get custody for Dylan, his son. After an initial reluctance Dominik participates and talks about his past:
While on a holiday in Northern-Hessia Dominik meets Angela: a 19-year old blonde, pretty face and a direct but charming demeanour. The sympathy grows into passion and they become a couple. When visiting Berlin later Angela announces to Dominik that she is pregnant, so he proposes. But the marital heaven turns rapidly to marital hell. Angela becomes loud, abusive, addicted to alcohol and starts to blow Dominik’s money while he is busy providing for his family. He tries to talk to Angela about her behaviour but to no avail. He just tries to avoid her progressively violent moods and her extreme rage. Angela’s violent behavior escalates. Angela leaves Dominik and takes their son Dylan with him.
In these sessions Dominik describes the marital abuse he suffered, but he still justifies and defends Angela's cruel behavior. At Holger's insistence Doninik decides to sign up for karate class. There he meets Belinda a divorced lawyer with two daughters. They start to date, but Domink has difficulties opening himself up, is avoiding uncomfortable truths of the past and keeps on justifying his wife’s abusive behaviours.
Dominik finally manages to break out of his own vicious circle of denial: realizing Angela’s behavior was indeed abusive, but more importantly that he allowed himself to be victimized and that he added to the violent dynamics with passivity and his lack of taking responsibility.
With Belinda's help Dominik gets the custody of his son, gets his old job back and moves out of the men’s shelter to start a new life with his son, Belinda and her kids.
Receptionedit
Critical reception for Emancipation has been mostly positive. Robert Butler of butlercinamescene.com considers it one of the best films of the KIFF.[1] Erin Tuttle compares the visual style of the film to Jean-Pierre Jeunet.[2] Amos Lassen praises the performances as "wonderful" and calls it "a film that really opens our eyes".[3]
Awardsedit
Actress Frances Heller and director Philipp Müller-Dorn receive the KIFF statue for the Audience Award at the 2011 Kansas International Film Festival
WINNER Audience Award, Kansas International Film Festival[4]
WINNER Best Dramatic Film, IFS Film Festival Hollywood [5]
WINNER Excellence Award, Rincon International Film Festival Puerto Rico [6]
WINNER Best Foreign Film, New York Winter Film Awards [7]
WINNER Best Actor Urs Stämpfli, New York Winter Film Awards [8]
WINNER Best Foreign Film, International Festival of World Cinema, Kent, England
WINNER Award of Merit, Lucerne International Film Festival, Switzerland [9]
WINNER Bronze Bulb, Excellence in Indie Filmmaking, Vegas Independent Film Festival
WINNER Director’s Choice Award, Litchfiels Hills Film Festival, Kent, Connecticut
WINNER Indie Auteur Medallion for Excellence, Bare Bones Film Festival, Oklahoma [10]
NOMINATED Best Director: Philipp Müller-Dorn, International Festival of World Cinema, Kent, England
NOMINATED Best Cinematography: Mathias Geck, International Festival of World Cinema, Kent, England
HONORABLE MENTION 60° N International Film Festival, Norway
HONORABLE MENTION Los Angeles Arthouse Film Festival, USA
OFFICIAL SELECTION Oaxaca Film Festival, Mexico[11]
OFFICIAL SELECTION Palm Beach International Film Festival, USA
OFFICIAL SELECTION Victoria TX Film Festival, USA
OFFICIAL SELECTION Boston International Film Festival, USA
Referencesedit
^""eMANNzipation" / "LESSON PLAN" / "BEAUTIFUL DARLING": KIFF favorites opening | Butler's Cinema Scene". from the original on 2016-08-18. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
^. Archived from the original on 2016-08-22. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
^""EMANCIPATION" ("eMANNzipation")— Love and Resilience | Reviews by Amos Lassen". May 2015. from the original on 2016-08-29. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
^"Kansas Film Festival — History". from the original on 2016-06-09. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
^"Independent Filmmakers Showcase". from the original on 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
^. Archived from the original on 2021-10-29. Retrieved 2018-12-25.
^"2012 Festival | Winter Film Awards". from the original on 2016-04-02. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
^"2012 Festival | Winter Film Awards". from the original on 2016-04-02. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
emancipation, 2011, film, emancipation, emancipation, german, emannzipation, styled, emannzipation, 2011, independent, drama, feature, film, directed, philipp, müller, dorn, movie, world, premiere, october, 2011, kansas, international, film, festival, where, a. Emancipation or eMANcipation German Emannzipation styled as eMANNzipation is a 2011 independent drama feature film directed by Philipp Muller Dorn The movie had its world premiere on October 25 2011 at the Kansas International Film Festival where it won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film EmancipationFilm posterGermanEmannzipationDirected byPhilipp Muller DornWritten byPhilipp Muller DornProduced byPMD FilmsStarringUrs Stampfli Frances Heller Michael Schwager Roland AvenardCinematographyMathias GeckEdited byMalte MullerMusic bySascha Blank Philipp Muller Dorn Daniell BerddingRelease dateOctober 13 2011 2011 10 13 Kansas International Film Festival Running time116 minutesCountryGermanyLanguageGerman Muller Dorn initially came up with the idea for the film in 2006 after reading a newspaper article about a shelter for abused men in Hamburg Since it turned out to be difficult to find abused men who were willing to talk about their experiences the research phase took a lot longer than Muller Dorn expected and the screenplay of eMANcipation was finished in early 2010 Principal shooting took place in Berlin and Guxhagen in Northern Hessia in July and August 2010 From 2012 to 2020 eMANcipation was released on DVD and Blu ray in the USA distributed by Olive Films Since fall 2021 it is available on Amazon Video Apple TV Google Play Microsoft Store in 56 countries around the world Contents 1 Cast 2 Synopsis 3 Reception 4 Awards 5 References 6 External linksCast editUrs Stampfli as Dominik Frances Heller as Angela Michael Schwager as Holger Roland Avernard as Gregor Anna Gorgen as Belinda Peer Alexander Hauck as Lukas Jan Marc Kochmann as Andreas Ulrich Meyer als Diplom Psychologe Bohr Hans Ulrich Laux as Horst Yannik Burwiek as DylanSynopsis editDominik Liebmann is a man at the end of his rope He has seemingly lost all he had his job his house his wife his son his fortune and even his dignity Without a penny in his pocket he enters Berlin s only shelter for battered men He meets Holger the head of the Mannerhaus and its members After a psychiatric evaluation by the youth welfare office he is ordered to engage in the group therapy session of the men s shelter so he can get custody for Dylan his son After an initial reluctance Dominik participates and talks about his past While on a holiday in Northern Hessia Dominik meets Angela a 19 year old blonde pretty face and a direct but charming demeanour The sympathy grows into passion and they become a couple When visiting Berlin later Angela announces to Dominik that she is pregnant so he proposes But the marital heaven turns rapidly to marital hell Angela becomes loud abusive addicted to alcohol and starts to blow Dominik s money while he is busy providing for his family He tries to talk to Angela about her behaviour but to no avail He just tries to avoid her progressively violent moods and her extreme rage Angela s violent behavior escalates Angela leaves Dominik and takes their son Dylan with him In these sessions Dominik describes the marital abuse he suffered but he still justifies and defends Angela s cruel behavior At Holger s insistence Doninik decides to sign up for karate class There he meets Belinda a divorced lawyer with two daughters They start to date but Domink has difficulties opening himself up is avoiding uncomfortable truths of the past and keeps on justifying his wife s abusive behaviours Dominik finally manages to break out of his own vicious circle of denial realizing Angela s behavior was indeed abusive but more importantly that he allowed himself to be victimized and that he added to the violent dynamics with passivity and his lack of taking responsibility With Belinda s help Dominik gets the custody of his son gets his old job back and moves out of the men s shelter to start a new life with his son Belinda and her kids Reception editCritical reception for Emancipation has been mostly positive Robert Butler of butlercinamescene com considers it one of the best films of the KIFF 1 Erin Tuttle compares the visual style of the film to Jean Pierre Jeunet 2 Amos Lassen praises the performances as wonderful and calls it a film that really opens our eyes 3 Awards edit nbsp Actress Frances Heller and director Philipp Muller Dorn receive the KIFF statue for the Audience Award at the 2011 Kansas International Film Festival WINNER Audience Award Kansas International Film Festival 4 WINNER Best Dramatic Film IFS Film Festival Hollywood 5 WINNER Excellence Award Rincon International Film Festival Puerto Rico 6 WINNER Best Foreign Film New York Winter Film Awards 7 WINNER Best Actor Urs Stampfli New York Winter Film Awards 8 WINNER Best Foreign Film International Festival of World Cinema Kent England WINNER Award of Merit Lucerne International Film Festival Switzerland 9 WINNER Bronze Bulb Excellence in Indie Filmmaking Vegas Independent Film Festival WINNER Director s Choice Award Litchfiels Hills Film Festival Kent Connecticut WINNER Indie Auteur Medallion for Excellence Bare Bones Film Festival Oklahoma 10 NOMINATED Best Director Philipp Muller Dorn International Festival of World Cinema Kent England NOMINATED Best Cinematography Mathias Geck International Festival of World Cinema Kent England HONORABLE MENTION 60 N International Film Festival Norway HONORABLE MENTION Los Angeles Arthouse Film Festival USA OFFICIAL SELECTION Oaxaca Film Festival Mexico 11 OFFICIAL SELECTION Palm Beach International Film Festival USA OFFICIAL SELECTION Victoria TX Film Festival USA OFFICIAL SELECTION Boston International Film Festival USAReferences edit eMANNzipation LESSON PLAN BEAUTIFUL DARLING KIFF favorites opening Butler s Cinema Scene Archived from the original on 2016 08 18 Retrieved 2016 07 13 KIFF Day Six in Review Frothygirlz Archived from the original on 2016 08 22 Retrieved 2016 07 13 EMANCIPATION eMANNzipation Love and Resilience Reviews by Amos Lassen May 2015 Archived from the original on 2016 08 29 Retrieved 2016 07 13 Kansas Film Festival History Archived from the original on 2016 06 09 Retrieved 2016 07 13 Independent Filmmakers Showcase Archived from the original on 2016 03 24 Retrieved 2016 07 13 Rinconfilm Winner and Awards Archived from the original on 2021 10 29 Retrieved 2018 12 25 2012 Festival Winter Film Awards Archived from the original on 2016 04 02 Retrieved 2016 07 13 2012 Festival Winter Film Awards Archived from the original on 2016 04 02 Retrieved 2016 07 13 LIFF Awards Retrieved 27 December 2018 bbff Domestic Violence Awareness Films barebonesfilmfestival org Archived from the original on 26 December 2018 Retrieved 25 December 2018 Filmfestival in Oaxaca 2012 in Mexico mit deutscher Beteiligung mexicoonline wordpress com 10 November 2012 Retrieved 25 December 2018 External links editOfficial website Emancipation at IMDb nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Emancipation 2011 film amp oldid 1217710922, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
