If You Are Afraid You Put Your Heart Into Your Mouth and Smile
"Anna, 12, lives with her deaf mother in a loving bond, yet under humble conditions, that are a source of social shame when she begins high school. Staying close to its heroines, this refreshing debut blends solidarity, feminism and tons of melodies." (Berlinale Forum)
Twelve-year-old Anna switches from middle school to high school. Things are quite different here: the children in the new school come from a completely other social class. Anna feels ashamed of her background and her deaf mother. During the ski week, Anna must pretend to be sick. The money set aside for the ski course is spent on buying a sofa bed, which should enable her mother to have a sexual relationship, but also provide the daughter with a bit more privacy. Mara, a friend in class, becomes an ally when it turns out that she also is hiding a secret. If You Are Afraid You Put Your Heart Into Your Mouth and Smile tells of a journey from shame to pride and examines what it's like to learn to stand up for yourself. A narrative of hope, affection, mutual care, and solidarity.
If You Are Afraid You Put Your Heart Into Your Mouth and Smile is a movie about class differences. A film about closeness between a mother and a child, but also about closeness between people in general. It is about deafness and about finding yourself. Where you want to belong. To your own desire. About gender identity. From shame to pride. (Marie Luise Lehner)
this film is availbale with english / german captions and english / german closed captions
Wenn du Angst hast nimmst du dein Herz in den Mund und lächelst
2025
Austria
87 min
feature fiction
Deutsch, Deutsche Gebärdensprache, Englisch
English