Civil Status
Personenstand
Directed by
2005
The film takes place in a marriage palace. This is a place where people's destinies are confronted with bureaucracy. The most significant events in people's lives such as weddings, divorces, the births of children are a daily routine in a registry office. (Festival catalogue)
Observing a bureaucratic institution, the film captures human reactions on turning points of life, such as marriage, divorce, birth and death. Gestures and facial expression of the characters transcend not only the bureaucratic procedure but also the documentary framework of the film. Emotions do not submit to the administrative machinery.