Kino Rebelde boards Locarno title 'September Afternoon'
Kino Rebelde boards Locarno title “September Afternoon” for international sales, securing rights to writer-director Nicolaas Schmidt’s drama ahead of its world premiere in the Cineasti del Presente competition. The pickup puts the German filmmaker’s latest work on the global market as festival interest builds.
Key Takeaways
- Kino Rebelde has acquired international sales rights to “September Afternoon.”
- The film world premieres in Locarno’s Cineasti del Presente competition.
- Writer-director Nicolaas Schmidt previously earned Locarno and Berlinale recognition.
- Amerikafilm produces the feature, with support from MOIN Filmförderung and FFA.
- Schmidt plans to shoot “Something New Has Begun” with Anne Döring early next year.
What deal did Kino Rebelde strike at Locarno?
According to Variety, Kino Rebelde has picked up international sales rights for “September Afternoon.” The film will make its world premiere in the Cineasti del Presente competition section at the Locarno Film Festival.
María Vera, head of Kino Rebelde, praised Schmidt’s approach, calling the film a fascinating provocation rooted in simplicity, delicate humor, and brilliant sensitivity. She framed it as an antidote to attention spans shrinking to the rhythm of a TikTok video, and as an invitation to unlearn in order to rebuild.
What is “September Afternoon” about?
The drama is described as transforming the romantic idea of the summer retreat into a quiet meditation on contemporary resignation, fragile intimacy, and the longing for connection. A couple refuses to accept that summer is over and heads to the coast intending to spend two afternoons together between the sand dunes and the sea.
On the way, they cross paths with a woman they know loosely. The temperature is too cold for sandals and shorts, and their attempts to find a dune, build a dam against the tide, and erect a windbreak become desperate struggles against the elements—before the situation unravels into a disaster of an entirely different magnitude.
Producer Maxi Haslberger of Amerikafilm said Schmidt’s combination of long shoots and loops creates a unique “cinema of doze” experience, arguing that drifting attention can make audiences more receptive to what other forms miss.
Why does Nicolaas Schmidt’s Locarno return matter?
The premiere marks Schmidt’s return to Locarno after his mid-length film “First Time [The Time for All but Sunset – Violet]” had its world premiere there in 2021 and received a Pardi di Domani Special Mention. That title also earned the Special Award of the German Short Film Award and best-film honors at festivals including Festival dei Popoli in Florence.
His earlier work “Final Stage [The Time for All but Sunset – Bgyor]” received a Special Jury Award at the 67th Berlinale in 2017, plus the First Steps Award by the German Film Academy and the German Film Critics Award for best short film. Other credits include “Inflorescence,” which premiered at Berlinale Shorts in 2020, and “Like Horses Standing in the Rain,” which premiered at Oberhausen in 2024 with a Special Mention.
“September Afternoon” is produced by Amerikafilm and supported by MOIN Filmförderung and FFA. For more festival and acquisition coverage, visit our Streaming & TV Alerts hub. Early next year, Schmidt will shoot his feature “Something New Has Begun” together with Anne Döring.