Run, Lola, Run (Lola rennt)

Wednesday 25 February at 7.30pm

Tom Tykwer | Germany | 1998 | 80 mins | M violence & offensive language

Run Lola Run follows a woman named Lola (Franka Potente) who needs to obtain 100,000 marks in 20 minutes to save the life of her boyfriend, Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu).

“Tom Tykwer’s acclaimed 1999 film Run Lola Run is a breathless rumination on the nature of fate and choice, with twists and turns at every corner. Lola and Manni are young and hopelessly in love. When a bag with 100,000 Deutsche marks owed to Manni’s shady boss goes missing, they have 20 minutes to come up with the cash, or else. It’s up to Lola to rescue Manni from his desperate fate. With a brilliantly inventive narrative structure, the film follows the next 20 minutes, during which every possible outcome, decision, and choice is more dangerous than the last. Run Lola Run will have you on the edge of your seat with its heart-stopping pace, kinetic energy, and driving techno track. Franka Potente delivers a tour de force performance, willing to do anything to save the person she loves; from armed robbery to high-speed (bicycle) chases, she breathlessly sprints through the city with an endurance that rivals Ethan Hunt on one of his impossible missions. While infused with elements of the action genre, Run Lola Run boldly strikes new ground, challenging us to consider how the decisions we make can affect the course of our lives and those of the communities we inhabit.” – TIFF Cinematheque