New Europe Film Sales has secured international distribution rights for “The Good Sister,” the debut feature from emerging filmmaker Sarah Miro Fischer. The film has already attracted significant attention on the global festival circuit, having previously won two industry awards at the 2024 San Sebastián Film Festival WIP Europa. Today, the finished film was announced as part of the Berlinale’s Panorama section.
Set in Berlin, the film turns on Rose, a young woman who faces a life-altering dilemma when she is asked to testify as a witness in a rape case against her older brother, Sam. “The Good Sister” is co-written by Fischer and Agnes Maagaard Petersen and presents a gripping narrative that explores the deep emotional ramifications the trial has on the family.
The cast of “The Good Sister” includes Marie Bloching as Rose, alongside Anton Weil, Proschat Madani, Laura Balzer, Jane Chirwa, Aram Tafreshian and David Vormweg. Fischer’s creative team includes Selma von Polheim Gravesen as DoP, Elena Weihe as editor, and Alina Dunker as production designer.
Fischer, born in 1993, is an emerging talent in the global film industry. After studying at the Escuela Nacional de Cine in Bogotá, Colombia, Fischer returned to Germany, where she gained further experience in script development, set management, and as a second assistant director. In 2018, she enrolled at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (DFFB), where she began to develop “The Good Sister.”
The film is produced by the German Film and Television Academy Berlin GmbH (DFFB) in collaboration with Arkanum Pictures. Producers Nina Bayer-Seel and Janna Fodor are joined by co-producers Lukas Koll and Sebastian Herbst of Arkanum, along with Fischer herself. Additional co-producers include the German broadcaster RBB and Spain’s Nephilim Producciones, represented by Luis Collar and Jorge Moreno. Financial backing has been provided by Medienboard, the German broadcaster RBB, and the Young Talent Foundation Berlin.
Reflecting on her film’s selection for Berlinale Panorama, Fischer said, “Some years ago, when I first began thinking about this film, I had no idea where this journey would lead me. I suppose one never really does. To now present ‘The Good Sister’ in the Berlinale Panorama section, alongside such an inspiring selection of works and artists I admire, is a tremendous honor for me and the entire team.”
In a release, the New Europe Film Sales team added: “From the very first moment we encountered this project at San Sebastián WIP Europa, we knew it was something special. We are deeply honored that they entrusted us with their debut film and couldn’t be prouder to present it in the Berlinale Panorama. At New Europe, we are passionate about supporting distinctive voices, and this project embodies exactly what we stand for.”
“The Good Sister” joins New Europe’s expanding slate of films, which includes titles such as Hlynur Palmason’s “The Love That Remains,” László Nemes’ “Orphan,” Dara van Dusen’s “A Prayer for the Dying” and Agnieszka Smoczyńska’s “Hot Spot,” which was recently acquired by Focus Features and Universal.
