Treppe aufwärts

Adam is a gambler who spends his time in gambling dens cracking slot machines in order to pay off the debts his dement father Woyzeck accrued from his gambling addiction. His father spends his days in the small family home on the edge of a housing estate. During his forays, Adam gets to know the Ukrainian waitress, Dosie, who offers him a bit of distraction from his monotonous daily routine. But Adam’s world begins to totter when his 16-year-old son Ben shows up on his doorstep. Ben, who normally lives with his mother, is not really seeking contact or closeness to his father, but rather is only interested in money. When his plan fails, he turns to Bardo who sells licenses for cracking slot machines. The further Ben gets drawn into gambling, the more he is drawn into his own family’s fate. And the relationship between Adam, Woyzeck and Ben becomes increasingly more difficult.

Source: 49. Internationale Hofer Filmtage 2015