This Ain't California, Cinemas across London

This Ain’t California is a docu-drama that highlights the subversive power of a group of teenagers, some skateboards, and a whole lot of concrete, in the last authoritarian years of East Berlin. Official selection at numerous festivals and scooping awards in both Berlin and Nashville, the film is a coming-of-age tale about three rebellious teens and their love for skate boarding, set before the wall fell. 

Breakout director Marten Persiel uses original clips of the 'wheel-board-riders' from the 1980s and mixes them with animations and ‘re-encounters’ with the protagonists today. Skating permeates the story at every level – even the production and creative teams are made up of East and West German skaters. In a recent interview Persiel spoke about the filmmaking process, explaining that ‘when you skate, it’s called a session: you have a session with each other and kind of play off each other’s vibe. And that’s what I did, making this. A lot of it’s like jamming and I think that’s why there’s such a sense of fun and energy up there on the screen.’     

Though politics is largely sidelined, the film still manages to be both thought provoking and great fun. In one notable sequence shot in Berlin’s Alexanderplatz, blond skater Patrick travels through the square whilst doing a handstand in his short denim cut-offs. No wonder he is often flanked by a posse of adoring, half-naked, female fans. This is a film that wants you to understand that the German Democratic Republic wasn’t all drab, grey buildings and repressed lives, and to help you on your way there is also a light hearted but commanding punk-infused soundtrack.

Compelling, visually exciting and wonderfully carefree, this film is well worth a trip to the cinema this week.