Ende der Schonzeit
CLOSED SEASON is set in 1942 and tells the story of Fritz and Emma who are hiding Albert, a Jewish refugee, at their remote farm in the Black Forest. Since his marriage with Emma has remained childless, Fritz uses the situation to suggest an unorthodox arrangement: He asks Albert to sleep with his wife and conceive a child on his behalf. The consequences are dramatic: Emma discovers her sexuality, Fritz cannot control his jealousy and Albert feels trapped between the two of them. Against the background of war, an unpredictable drama unfolds that turns offenders into victims and vice versa. (German Films)
The film takes a fresh approach to issues related to Nazi Germany. In the early 1940s, David, a Jewish German, is attempting to escape across the border. A farmer from the Black Forest finds him and shelters him in his barn. Childless, the farmer asks David to impregnate his wife.
This setting is the background within which the complexity of humanity is revealed in all characters, with new beginnings supplementing human failures. The title of the film is particularly apt: Schonzeit is the season of protection for animals when no hunting is allowed; the close of Schonzeit opens the time of hunting. It applies at various levels: David’s protection ends with betrayal, the closure of emotions ends with vulnerability and openness.