Review: Obhut

[Jim Burton]

https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/484290/

Veronika Hafner’s Obhut (meaning care and protection, as in to be in the care or under the protection of someone) is, fascinatingly, the second recent large German film, after Steve Bache’s No Dogs Allowed [+] (Tallinn Black Nights 2024), to tackle the topic of paedophilia. With this feature debut, Hafner approaches the theme with tremendous tact, from a screenplay by herself and Christian Hödl. (According to her festival biography, the Bavarian-born filmmaker is also a psychotherapist for youth and children.) Obhut has just had its world premiere in the Feature Film Competition of the 2025 Zurich Film Festival, vying for the Golden Eye.