What Slackers Is About
Slackers isn't a heist or a con game—it's something messier. The film is expected to follow two teenage girls, Ramona and Nico, who've just finished school and are drifting through the kind of aimless summer that feels infinite when you're that age. A small mistake—releasing a caged bird from a neighbor's apartment—becomes the thread that unravels everything. What starts as a search for the escaped bird morphs into something bigger: a hunt for Nico's little brother, and underneath it all, a test of whether these two friends can survive the weight of growing up, political tension, and random encounters that Berlin throws at them. It's the kind of premise that could go comedy or tragedy. We won't know which until we see it.
The Creative Team Behind the Film
Director Sorina Gajewski is making her feature directorial debut with Slackers, a significant milestone for a project that carries the weight of a film school pedigree—the Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (DFFB) is one of Europe's most respected institutions. According to Shot in Berlin, the film's technical crew includes cinematographer Hannes Schulze, editor Raffaéllo Lupperger, and composer Lucas Castillo, with producer Sabrina Holzapfel overseeing production. The cast centers on Bella Lochmann as Ramona and Pola Geiger as Nico, alongside Rio Kirchner as Noah and supporting performances from Carl Bagnar and Katrine Eichberger. It's a lean, focused ensemble—exactly what a character-driven summer narrative needs.
Why This Film Matters
What's striking is how rare it's become to see a film about young people that isn't either a superhero origin story or a prestige coming-of-age with a built-in awards narrative. Slackers arrives without that apparatus. It's a German production, in German, made by a film school and premiered at a regional festival—the Max Ophüls Prize in Saarbrücken on January 21, 2025—before being picked up for wider circulation. That kind of pedigree doesn't guarantee anything, but it does suggest filmmakers working without commercial pressure, which is its own kind of freedom. The 75-minute runtime is notably compact; Gajewski isn't interested in padding. That economy of storytelling—where every scene has to earn its place—is becoming a lost art.
Release Date and Where to Watch
Slackers is scheduled for theatrical release in Germany on June 18, 2026. It hasn't hit theaters anywhere yet, and no streaming platform in English-speaking markets has been announced. That said, Movie OTT will track all platform announcements as distribution rights are confirmed. Check the Where-to-Watch widget on this page for updates as they arrive—we'll keep it current as the release window approaches and licensing deals solidify.
Frequently asked questions
When is Slackers releasing? Slackers is scheduled for theatrical release in Germany on June 18, 2026. International release dates haven't been announced yet.
Is Slackers out yet? No. The film premiered at the Max Ophüls Prize festival in January 2025 but hasn't had a wide theatrical release. It's still in the pre-release phase.
Where will I be able to watch Slackers? Streaming availability hasn't been confirmed in any major English-language market as of now. Movie OTT will announce platform availability as soon as distribution deals are finalized. Check back for updates.
Who directed Slackers? Sorina Gajewski wrote and directed the film in her feature directorial debut. The production company is the Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (DFFB).
What's the runtime? Slackers runs 75 minutes—a deliberately compact runtime that keeps the narrative tight and focused.
What to Anticipate
A directorial debut from a film school, a premise that refuses easy categorization, a 75-minute commitment to storytelling economy. Slackers arrives in 2026 without the weight of franchise expectation or prestige-drama baggage. That's rare. It's also risky—which is probably exactly why it's worth keeping an eye on.
