Lies About My Mother: A Bitterly Comic Family Story at filmforum Duisburg

When the Scale Becomes the Family Stage: Lies About My Mother at filmforum Duisburg

One sentence is enough to throw domestic harmony completely off balance: Cornelia is too fat, says Werner. And he should know, as he is her husband. On Thursday, October 15, 2026, filmforum Duisburg will screen Aron Lehmann's bitterly comic adaptation of Daniela Dröscher's autobiographical novel Lies About My Mother.

Bitter Humor with Precise Timing

In the West German province of the 1980s, family life becomes the stage for Werner's obsession with thinness. Between Brigitte diets, binge eating in the cellar, and daily checks on the scale, a tragicomic atmosphere emerges, where every punchline carries a tiny lump in the throat. The film combines dry humor, family satire, and quiet social criticism into an unusual laughter experience with an aftertaste.

A Family Story Between Control and Love

The six-year-old Ela observes how her father increasingly controls his wife and declares her body to be the alleged reason for professional and private failures. Caught in the crossfire as a child, she even becomes an accomplice. The girl's perspective lends emotional depth to the story, while the adult Daniela looks back at the events from the screen with a dry gaze.

Rosalie Thomass, Golo Euler, and a Very Special Soundtrack

Rosalie Thomass plays Cornelia, Golo Euler embodies the satirically exaggerated Werner, and Elise Lindner portrays Ela. Director Aron Lehmann lightens the heavy source material with dry humor and quirky situations, without losing its social explosive power. Snippets of New German Wave music, nostalgic clothing, and 1980s interiors enhance the bitterly comic undertone.

Cinema Atmosphere with Character

The filmforum at Dellplatz provides the appropriate comedy atmosphere as a municipal cinema for this special movie night. The historical cinema palace from the 1950s meets modern media technology. The audience experiences not a stand-up evening with direct interaction, but carefully set punchlines, fine cinematic timing, and audience reactions that swing between laughter, contemplation, and solemn silence.

Conclusion: A Movie Night That Moves More Than Just the Laughter Muscles

Lies About My Mother tells of body images, family power dynamics, and the first great love of our lives: the relationship between mother and child. Those who appreciate dry humor, socially critical cabaret feelings, and tragicomic family stories will enjoy a cinema evening with bite, heart, and surprisingly much warmth at filmforum Duisburg. Mark your calendars now and experience Cornelia's story live on the big screen.

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Sources:

• filmforum Duisburg – Lies About My Mother
• Duisburg Live – Event Entry
• filmforum Duisburg – Program and Tickets