ROCCA CHANGES THE WORLD

Family Matinee: ROCCA CHANGES THE WORLD (ROCCA VERÄNDERT DIE WELT), 2019, Warner Bros., 101 min. Dir. Katja Benrath. This crowd-pleaser from director Katja Benrath follows an 11-year protagonist whose unshakeable optimism and non-conformist spirit make good on the film’s title. Rocca (Luna Maxeiner, adorable in her first film role) is practically an orphan for much of the year, while her astronaut father is away on an orbiting space station. Her parentless lifestyle is hardly an obstacle, however, as she navigates school and bullies with ease and has a positive effect on every person (and squirrel) that crosses her path. Featuring Fahri Yardim as a tender homeless man named Caspar, the film took home the Outstanding Children Award from the German Film Awards and is guaranteed fun for the whole family.

In German and Russian with English subtitles.