How To Be Normal
by Florian Pochlatko
►Synopsis
Logline
Fresh out of psychiatry, Pia moves back in with her parents to rebuild her life. Juggling jobs, heartbreak, meds, and stigma, she stumbles into a world spiraling out of control / that feels as unsteady as she does.
Synopsis
Fresh out of psychiatry, Pia (26) moves back into her parents’ house on the outskirts of Vienna—only to realize she’s not the only one whose life is derailing. Her parents, Elfie and Klaus, are also struggling to keep up with a world in constant transformation. Juggling a shaky new job, lingering heartbreak, medication, and the weight of social stigma, Pia stumbles into a reality as unsteady as she feels. Bit by bit, she begins to transform—into a giant monster threatening the world… or perhaps a heroine destined to save it. Who gets to decide what’s normal? How to Be Normal and the Oddness of the Other World is a melancholic yet lighthearted exploration of identity, family, self-discovery, and a young woman’s search for balance and meaning in an uncontrollable world.
Specifications
2025 Austria 102 min. 1.85:1 5.1 German, English 1st feature film
Written and directed by
Florian Pochlatko
Produced by
Golden Girls Film Produktion (Arash T. Riahi and Sabine Gruber)
Cast
Luisa-Céline Gaffron (PIA)
Elke Winkens (ELFIE)
Cornelius Obonya (KLAUS)
Felix Pöchhacker (JONI)
Crew
Cinematography Adrian Bidron
Editor Julia Drack
Music Rosa Anschütz
Costume Design Anna Zeitlhuber
Production Design Julia Oberndorfinger
Production Design Attila Plangger
Festivals
Berlinale Perspective 2025 – world premiere
Uruguay International Film Festival – Competition – New Directors
Beijing International Film Festival – Perspectives Section
Press Quotes
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER: Is Ed Sheeran in a Berlin Film Festival Movie? – By Georg Szalai
UNSEEN FILMS: – By Steve Kopian
” One of the best films at Berlin (and maybe 2025) is a one of a kind film that is unlike anything you have ever seen.”
SCREEN DAILY: ‘How To Be Normal’ review: Peppy debut from Austria tackles mental illness – By Lee Marshall
“A kind of cinematic graphic novel that navigates a deft tonal journey through humour, melancholy, romance, edgy drama and some trippy visual montages.”
“A breezily disturbing and disturbingly breezy comedy-drama.”
