Chloe Griffin

Desire Will Set You Free is a feature film that explores life in contemporary Berlin with an often critical and sometimes humorous eye. Based on a true story, the plot follows the relationship of an American writer of Israeli/Palestinian descent and a Russian aspiring artist working as a hustler, offering access to the city's vibrant queer and underground scenes while examining the differences between expatriate and refugee life. Our characters travel through Berlin's layered history and unique subcultural landscape; on their adventures they discover influences and remnants of the Weimar Republic, WWII, the Bowie years, and punk.

The film tells the story of Imri, who at 19 goes to live in Tel Aviv, but dreams of moving to Japan. Through his relationships and encounters and in diverse cinematic tools, we are introduced to the young person’s life. An exploration of living in the exotic city of Tel Aviv is presented through a hero who are themselves in the midst of exploring his own choice of an exotic place. A unique correlation is formed between the hero’s misconception of Japan and ours of them. The movie was constructed by both improvised and pre-scripted scenes, as required by the nature of each scene. (Source: Filmmaker Website)

Lucy, a privileged North American in contemporary Berlin, living a life of post Punk hedonism, roams the streets with her best friend, Derek. Together they use the city like a playground, a stage, and a never ending party. Into their lives enters Galia, a young Israeli woman carrying the promise of a better, cleaner way of living. A tribute to Punk underground films turns into a melodrama in "Saturn Returns", mirroring Lucy and Galia's modulating states of mind. Our and their look into each other's life and culture, becomes an investigation of empty facades. The film was constructed by both improvised and pre-scripted scenes, as required by the nature of each scene.

Lost love, lost artistic collaboration, the two are meeting for one night as she briefly visits the city where he still lives.

A contemporary love story taking place in the heart of Europe, of two passionate young persons, whose sense of reality is too frequently mediated by a failure to 'live in the moment' and by computer screens.