How To Be Normal

by Florian Pochlatko

Synopsis

Logline

Fresh out of psychiatry, Pia moves back in with her parents to rebuild her life. Juggling jobs, heartbreak, meds, and stigma, she stumbles into a world spiraling out of control / that feels as unsteady as she does.

Specifications

2025 Austria  102 min.  1.85:1  5.1  German, English  1st feature film

Written and directed by

Florian Pochlatko

Produced by

Golden Girls Film Produktion (Arash T. Riahi and Sabine Gruber)

Cast

Luisa-Céline Gaffron (PIA)

Elke Winkens (ELFIE)

Cornelius Obonya (KLAUS)

Felix Pöchhacker (JONI)

Crew

Cinematography       Adrian Bidron

Editor                         Julia Drack

Music                          Rosa Anschütz

Costume Design       Anna Zeitlhuber

Production Design   Julia Oberndorfinger

Production Design   Attila Plangger

 

Festivals

Berlinale Perspective 2025 – world premiere

Press Quotes

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER: Is Ed Sheeran in a Berlin Film Festival Movie? – By Georg Szalai

UNSEEN FILMS: – By Steve Kopian

” One of the best films at Berlin (and maybe 2025) is a one of a kind film that is unlike anything you have ever seen.”

SCREEN DAILY: ‘How To Be Normal’ review: Peppy debut from Austria tackles mental illness – By Lee Marshall

“A kind of cinematic graphic novel that navigates a deft tonal journey through humour, melancholy, romance, edgy drama and some trippy visual montages.”

“A breezily disturbing and disturbingly breezy comedy-drama.”