Ava

Ava (12) has been practicing gymnastics for as long as she can remember. But the day she loses her mother, her childhood ends instantly. To escape the suffocating grief and mourning at home, she decides to return to the sports boarding school. She asks the coach not to mention her mother’s death since she doesn’t want to have any special status within the group. When Natascha, the best gymnast, befriends her, Ava’s life seems to take a turn for the better again. The stricter and more ruthless she is towards herself in her training, the more she feels connected to her mother. But when she starts getting better than Natascha, their tender friendship is in jeopardy of falling apart under the stress of competition.

Source: 51. Internationale Hofer Filmtage 2017