Janine F.

This introspective film explores the life and mysterious death of JANINE F., a 24-year-old artist who tragically fell from Berlin's Kunsthaus Tacheles in 2002. The story unfolds through the memories of her friends and fellow artists, painting a complex portrait of her as a spirited, yet troubled individual. Set in the chaotic Kunsthaus Tacheles, where she shared a studio, the film reveals Janine's intense commitment to art, blurring lines between passion and obsession, and her perilous involvement with drugs. As the narrative delves deeper, it uncovers Janine's psychological struggles, particularly her alarming talks about being pursued by voices, a concern largely overlooked by her peers. The film also touches on the sensationalism following her death, with media blaming the Tacheles artists for ignoring her suicidal intentions, and tourists mistaking her death for an art performance. JANINE F. is a poignant reminder of the fragility of the human psyche, the complexities of the artistic mind, and the responsibilities of a community towards its members.

Keywords

  • Creatives: Debut Films
  • Exclusive Docs: New Perspectives
  • Made in Germany
  • Next Generation: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
  • Sooner Exclusives
  • Topic: Facts & Alternatives
  • Topic: Mental Health
  • Art
  • Berlin
  • community
  • death
  • drugs
  • Mental Health
  • mourning
  • psychology

Director

  • Teresa Renn

Documentary, Independent


1h 20min


16+

DE

Germany
2004
The tragic story of an artist who was torn between passion and obsession and died under mysterious circumstances.

The tragic story of an artist who was torn between passion and obsession and died under mysterious circumstances.


This introspective film explores the life and mysterious death of JANINE F., a 24-year-old artist who tragically fell from Berlin's Kunsthaus Tacheles in 2002. The story unfolds through the memories of her friends and fellow artists, painting a complex portrait of her as a spirited, yet troubled individual.


Set in the chaotic Kunsthaus Tacheles, where she shared a studio, the film reveals Janine's intense commitment to art, blurring lines between passion and obsession, and her perilous involvement with drugs. As the narrative delves deeper, it uncovers Janine's psychological struggles, particularly her alarming talks about being pursued by voices, a concern largely overlooked by her peers.


The film also touches on the sensationalism following her death, with media blaming the Tacheles artists for ignoring her suicidal intentions, and tourists mistaking her death for an art performance. JANINE F. is a poignant reminder of the fragility of the human psyche, the complexities of the artistic mind, and the responsibilities of a community towards its members.

Festivals

Cast & Crew