Laurin Saied

A young man is standing in a hospital room inhabited by his mentally ill mother. She is asleep; instead of waking her, he leaves the room. In search of distraction, he drifts through day and night. He embarks on a series of events that bring light into his fears, his identity conflicts, and his desire for a sense of belonging in this world.

„It was the same at my first time“ said the extended austrian civil servant to the new COVID-19 volunteer, who had to bring a person from the bereavementroom to the cooling chamber minutes before.

Gery makes the leap from the youth soccer team to the testosterone-overloaded combat team. He is pushed into desired futures from all sides - he tries to meet all of them without knowing what he actually wants himself.

While looking after his grandpa for the weekend, the 16-year old Lukas meets the cheeky neigbour Luzi. During his stay, the eager nine-year old keeps him pretty occupied. As a friendship develops between them, both embark on a journey toward adulthood.

Sleepwalker tells three stories against the backdrop of a New Year's Eve: Lola and Paul, who drift aimlessly through the city and provoke complete strangers. Simon and Marie, who spend the evening with Simon's professor and his wife, gaining an ominous insight into their own possible future. And the teacher Karin, who spends the night with her student Fuad. A small panorama of a society on the brink of a turning point. A film about the fear of inner stagnation, while history has picked up full speed again after decades of order. The conflicts of 2020 loom on the horizon, but are still too abstract to be perceived as a serious threat. Somewhere, far away in downtown Vienna, thousands of people are celebrating a boisterous party, but our characters see no reason to join in.