FRANKY FIVE STAR (2024)

To the outside world, Franky is a lively twenty-something ready to take on life headfirst, but on the inside she’s subjected to a whirlwind of emotions. Sometimes she just wants to unleash her inner child and have pillow fights on the bed, while at other times she’d like to change the way the world turns, which in turn is a whole lot more complicated than just chilling on the sofa in pajamas with her bestie Katja. And then there’s Roman, dreamy Roman in whose presence she’s suddenly scrambling for words… Pretty exhausting these frequent mood swings, both for herself and for her entourage. Yes, it often gets quite confusing in her head. We too have voices in our head, but a whole hotel? No sir, but Franky does! Welcome to the Franky Five Star, a somewhat musty, run-down shack with four permanent residents: playful little boy Lenny, flirty Ella, Marxist bellboy Frank and of course Frau Franke, the stern matron who’s holding everything (sort of) together. By stepping into the elevator, they can each momentarily take over Franky’s head, with sometimes disastrous consequences. Especially when she’s suddenly starting to have feelings for Hasi, Katja’s new boyfriend…

Somewhere midway between INSIDE OUT and AMELIE POULAIN director Birgit Möller sketches this tender coming-of-age story in soft, warm colors. The result is the kind of romantic comedy we love, the offbeat kind, which can also describe Franky herself, and the average BIFFF-goer. A balm for our hearts and darn it if that’s not exactly what we crave!