Andrea Gets a Divorce

In a one-horse town in Lower Austria, Andy (Thomas Stipsits) still hasn’t come to terms with the fact that his wife, policewoman Andrea (Birgit Minichmayr) wants to divorce him. When he sullenly drinks too much at a party, she takes his keys to stop him from driving under the influence. Unfortunately, this results in the inebriated man stumbling into none other than Andrea’s car on her way home. In the blink of an eye, the criminal investigation contender is forced to choose between her ambition to advance in her career and her personal integrity.

The idyllic associations of peaceful country life in the middle of nowhere that the opening long shots of the scenic landscape conjure up, are immediately betrayed by the forlorn goings-on in the characters’ lives. Even Andrea’s pending move to the closest city is a mirthless prospect, as St Pölten is anything but a vibrant metropolis, but the best she can do in her circumstances.

In his signature dark humour, director Josef Hader aptly captures the casual sexism, racism and sanctimoniousness of rural Austria. As was the case for his 2017 film Wild Mouse (also a Berlinale title), the comedian also takes on a co-starring role, this time as a sober alcoholic, who blames himself for the accident. The entire cast is made up of a who’s who of Austrian talent: apart from the above-mentioned leads, Robert Stadlober, Thomas Schubert (most recently seen in Christian Petzold’s Afire) and Branko Samarovski aggrandise the ensemble with their presence.

Easily the film’s biggest struggle will be the viewer’s expectations thereof. The title may promise a tale of female empowerment when it’s really an unconventional discovery of friendship and forgiveness. The callous writing and directing style will surely alienate a number of moviegoers, as there are no figures of identification to sympathise with or a moral pointing finger challenging the ethics of their choices. Especially compared to The Outrun, which competes with Andrea Gets a Divorce for the Panorama Audience Awards at this festival, the insensitive treatment of addiction disorders in the latter will ruffle some feathers.

Nevertheless, for fans of the capriciousness of European comedy, it is a film worth keeping an eye out for.

Selina Sondermann

Andrea Gets a Divorce does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Berlin Film Festival 2024 coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the Berlin Film Festival website here.