Die Badewanne is the story of three brothers who dive into their childhood in order to recreate an old family photo; a unique present for their mum. Though well intentioned, the process runs less than smoothly, when the siblings open up about their true feelings of one other and old grudges resurface. Shot in a single take, Die Badewanne is deceptively simple. With no music, in-camera effects or fancy editing in sight, the result is a refreshingly stripped back film, which feels authentic and affecting in equal measures. The director, Tim Ellrich, was inspired by his friends who were taking part in the huge social media trend which saw adults recreating their childhood photos. Society dictates us to get along with our family. Maybe families hardly ever change and maybe, more and more we become strangers to each other. The film tries to show this process of getting close again and how the small bathtub works as a short therapy session for them to find a connection between them: their humour. The biggest logistical production issue was the size of the bathroom. The team ended up building it themselves inside a studio, so that it both looked exactly as the director and set designers wanted it to, and was big enough for everyone to fit in. All in all, it seems like it was a pretty challenging shoot and though the audience may never fully appreciate the lengths the crew had gone to, it was all worth it in the end.
