15 YEARS review by Marinell Haegelin
Jenny von Leoben ( Hannah Herzsprung ) has already lived a full life ; the child prodigy began performing on stage when most little girls were playing with dolls . Somewhere along the way , Jenny veered from concert pianist to street performer with Gimmiemore ’ s ( Albrecht Schuch ) group . Then she was convicted of murder . Falsely . Finally released from prison after fifteen years , she is currently at a halfway house , The Jesus Center , where her anger is palpable , clinging just below the surface together with her demons . Too often , her self-loathing scorn hurls obscenities at anyone near her . Only in group therapy and with Frau Markowski ’ s ( Adele Neuhauser ) frank , practical , and patient strength of will is Jenny restrained . Oftentimes misdirected , with regularity , Wolke ( Stefanie Reinsperger ) bears the brunt of her vehement behavior , since they are paired on outside work assignments that is the center ’ s source of income .
One such assignment is at the music conservatory that Jenny knows all too well ; now an instructor , Harry Mangold ( Christian Friedel ) hears her playing the piano and remembers her . To her shame . His kindness is endless ; she is invited for dinner , and his wife ( Katharina Schüttler ) takes everything in stride . There is this popular television talent contest ; Jenny is introduced to Omar Annan ( Hassan Akkouch ), a survivor , refugee , singer , and once-upon-a-time pianist . Jenny unceremoniously balks at performing with him . At the center of it all is Gimmiemore , now the fabulously famous presenter of the show . They both know , but only one has a secret .
German writer-director Chris Kraus ’ s newest film , 15 Years , is a sequel to his award-winning Four Minutes ( Vier
Minuten , 2006 ). Normally this is a bonus ; however , Kraus ’ s follow-up film has one major flaw . Other than an early-on sequence about the child prodigy , Kraus omits important , necessary background information , i . e ., nothing about what happens to Jenny in Four Minutes . Without understanding the “ why ” of Jenny ’ s actions , the intensity of Herzsprung ’ s depiction defies evoking any empathy . Production values are good . The depth of the Jenny character ’ s recklessness , tempestuousness , and violence throughout the 143-minute film is a dispiriting , depressing experience .
© WILD BUNCH GERMANY
15 JAHRE
15 YEARS
AUSTRIA 2023 OPENED JANUARY 11 , 2024
DIRECTED BY CHRIS KRAUS WRITING CREDITS : CHRIS KRAUS
PRINCIPAL ACTORS : HANNAH HERZSPRUNG , HASSAN AKKOUCH ,
ALBRECHT SCHUCH , CHRISTIAN FRIEDEL , ADELE NEUHAUSER
CURRENTS 53