HOW TO BE NORMAL AND THE ODDNESS OF THE OTHER WORLD

Austria / 2025 / 102min

Synopsis
Overwhelmed by motherhood, Ester steals acaravan and flees to southern Italy with her sonDavid with an intellectual disability. They meeta young drifter whose open heart transformstheir makeshift family into something freer,lighter, and full of unexpected hope.Ester, 45, has devoted her life to caring forher son David, who has Down syndromeand autism. Their bond is fierce—but so isher exhaustion. While visiting friends in Italy,tensions rise—David’s behaviour unsettlesthe household, and they’re asked to sleep ina caravan. That night, Ester takes off. In theold camper winding through southern Italy,Ester dares to want more from life. But Davidbegins to change too—gradually opening upto the world, and to Zuza, a vibrant drifter whobecomes their companion. Together, the triodiscovers a fragile joy, a new rhythm, and thepossibility of freedom.

Festivals and AWARDS
Berlinale 2025, Perspective section

Film Director: Florian Pochlatko

Florian Pochlatko is an Austrian writer, director, and editor. He studied Experimental Media Art before directing at the Film Academy Vienna under Michael Haneke and pursued Critical Studies at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna in Diedrich Diederichsen‘s class. His acclaimed short film Erdbeerland (2012) received numerous awards and has been a fixture in Austrian cinemas ever since. After working as a visual identity designer for musicians and curating for Cultural institutions, he now returns to his roots with his first narrative feature.