Afire

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2:08

Afire

2023,

1h 43m,

Comedy/

Drama

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91%

125 Reviews

Tomatometer

75%

50+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

125 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

While vacationing by the Baltic Sea, writer Leon (Thomas Schubert) and photographer Felix (Langston Uibel) are surprised by the presence of Nadja (Paula Beer), a mysterious young woman staying as a guest at Felix's family's holiday home. Nadja distracts Leon from finishing his latest novel and with brutal honesty, forces him to confront his caustic temperament and self-absorption. As Nadja and Leon grow closer, an encroaching forest fire threatens the group and tensions escalate when a handsome lifeguard and Leon's tight-lipped book editor also arrive. Christian Petzold's acclaimed latest was the winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at this year's Berlin International Film Festival.

Critics Consensus

A riveting look at complicated relationships, the well-acted Afire finds Christian Petzold working in an arguably lighter but still notably ambitious vein.

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Namrata Joshi

The New Indian Express

Jan 23, 2024

A good film to end or begin a year with, one that reminds us to hit the pause button every now and then between the play modes and never say no to anything because “work won’t allow it”.

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Ty Burr

Ty Burr's Watch List (Substack)

Dec 1, 2023

3/4

It could be an Eric Rohmer movie that escaped from the 1970s.

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Sergio Burstein

Los Angeles Times

Oct 4, 2023

The script, also by director Christian Petzold finds itself full of moments marked by subtle comedy and interpreted by a group of impeccable actors. [Full review in Spanish]

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Samantha Schuster

Cinéfilo Serial

Jul 25, 2025

3.5/5

This is a new and interesting offering from Christian Petzold, which delves into human relationships by placing them in a particular setting. A character-driven film that explores their development and reactions. [Full Review in Spanish]

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Joshua Polanski

Boston Hassle

Jul 5, 2024

The German summer romance is bound to be one of the year’s most literary films, a claim that shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the director’s education, but it’s also one of the year’s most romantic films.

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Connor Lightbody

Loud and Clear Reviews

Jul 4, 2024

4/5

While its comedic amusement lands with a bemused incredulity, Afire’s discussion around the fragility of male writers is rich with layers, none that feel compelled to untangle themselves from a film that on the surface seems suffocatingly simple.

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Christian Petzold

Director

Thomas Schubert

Leon

Paula Beer

Nadja

Langston Uibel

Felix

Enno Trebs

Devid

Matthias Brandt

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Afire: Trailer 1

2:08

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Synopsis

While vacationing by the Baltic Sea, writer Leon (Thomas Schubert) and photographer Felix (Langston Uibel) are surprised by the presence of Nadja (Paula Beer), a mysterious young woman staying as a guest at Felix's family's holiday home. Nadja distracts Leon from finishing his latest novel and with brutal honesty, forces him to confront his caustic temperament and self-absorption. As Nadja and Leon grow closer, an encroaching forest fire threatens the group and tensions escalate when a handsome lifeguard and Leon's tight-lipped book editor also arrive. Christian Petzold's acclaimed latest was the winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at this year's Berlin International Film Festival.

Director: Christian Petzold
Producer: Anton Kaiser, Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber
Screenwriter: Christian Petzold, Christian Petzold
Distributor: Sideshow / Janus Films
Production Co: ZDF/Arte, September Films, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF), Schramm Film Koerner & Weber
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 14, 2023, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $244.8K
Runtime: 1h 43m

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