"Ghosts" (2005 release from Germany; 85 min.; original title "Gespenster" a/k/a "Ghost, not in plural) brings the story of Nina (played by Julia Hummer), a teenager whom we first meet when she is doing community work in a park in Berlin. Nina happens to meet Toni (played by Sabine Timoteo), a twenty-something woman who is a drifter. Nina wants to help her in any way she possibly can (which is not much). In a parallel story line, we get to know a French couple, the wife of which seems a very troubled woman who is looking for a young lady whom she thinks is her long-lost daughter. To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Several comments: this movie is written and directed by Christian Petzold, one of Europe's top directors in my humble opinion. Some of his other works include 2000's "The State I'm In" (also starring Julia Hummer), 2007's "Yella" and the excellent political thriller "Barbara" from 2012. I'll go see anything from this guy. Second, even though Amazon lists this as a 2009 release, it really was released in 2005. Third as already mentioned, Julia Hummer reappears in a Petzold film. Here she is pushing her age limit (she is 25 in real life, playing a 16 or 17 yr old), but it doesn't take away from the immense talent that she is. (She would appear also in Petzold's "Carlos" TV mini-series.) Fourth, the movie does a great job setting up the various characters, and is not afraid to let you wonder for quite some time as to how all the pieces fit together. A movie that challenges the mind, what a concept! Iron Man 3 this ain't. At just 85 min., this movie flew by in no time and at the end of it I didn't want to say goodbye to these characters. What better compliment can you give a movie?
Bottom line: if you are in the mood for a top-notch foreign movie that challenges your mind and lets you do some of the mental work yourself, you cannot go wrong with this. "Ghosts" is another great film from German director Christian Petzold that begs to be seen. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
