All My Fathers

Imagine you never knew your biological father, you go looking for him, you find him, and you end up discovering that he isn't your father after all. This is exactly what happened to Jan Raiber when he decided to make his documentary thesis at the Baden-Württemberg Film Academy about the reunion with his supposed father Uwe Hennig. Not long after meeting Uwe, Jan's mother Kristina tells him that Uwe isn't his dad. Once he gets over the initial surprise and disappointment, Jan has to start thinking about where to go with his film. All of a sudden, the whole story has changed, and there's a truly unexpected denouement to deal with. Initially meant to be the end goal, the film suddenly becomes the means to the end. With a deceitful lack of accuracy, Jan Raiber cuts and pastes the fragments of his quest together, creating a self-confident documentary about himself. There are shining roles for his mother, who has to overcome more than she had ever imagined possible, and for the filmmaker himself, who manages to make the initial setback work to his advantage. In the background there's Jan's stepfather Jürgen Raiber, star witness to the genetic chaos but nonetheless a loving tower of strength.