‘Phantoms Of July’ review: Past and present collide in breezy absurdist German comedy drama

Dir: Julian Radlmaier. Germany. 2025. 90mins.

As breezy as a perfect summer’s day, the characters and time periods of Julian Radlmaier’s quirky absurdist comedy drama waft across one another to explore ideas of community cohesion, attitudes to incomers and the seemingly intractable problems of the working class down the centuries. The original German title translates as ’Longing in Sangerhausen’, which taps into the psychological state of its ensemble cast of characters, who are all seeking something more from their lives in the small former East German mining town of the title.

Interrogates the vagaries of modern life with a light touch

Phantoms Of July is screening in Sarajevo Film Festival’s Kinoscope section after a world premiere in Locarno’s international competition. Radlmaier previously had strong success on the festival circuit with Bloodsuckers – A Marxist Vampire Comedy, and his ability to interrogate the vagaries of modern life with a light touch and plenty of humour should see Phantoms enjoy a similar run. Arthouse audiences are also likely to be won over.

Sangerhausen may sit against a backdrop of natural beauty in Südharz, northeast Germany, but it also lies in the shadow of an enormous mining slag-heap – just one of the contrasts Radlmaier considers playfully. His initial focus is Lotte (Paula Schindler), a maid working for the 18th-century poet Novalis – one of several real-life characters referenced from the history of the region. Lotte dreams of a better life and freedom from drudgery and, like many things in the film, she is connected in an unexpected way to the present day.

In the modern era, the fashions may have changed but the plight of the working classes remains pretty much the same, as indicated by the life of Ursula (Clara Schwinning). She is working multiple jobs, but is still unable to satisfy the simple desire of buying a bag of cherries. Also trying to make a living in the town is Iranian wannabe travel influencer Neda (Maral Keshavarz) and middle-aged Korean tour guide Song-nam (Kyung-Taek Lie), who is first glimpsed on “People’s Solidarity Street” – a literal signpost of Radlmaier’s intentions.

The filmmaker carefully establishes his characters across individually titled episodes before slowly bringing them together, all the while allowing right-wing populist attitudes towards incomers – from the news, or the observations of subsidiary characters – to creep in. “Germany is sinking like the Titanic,” Ursula’s colleague tells her. “And we’re Leonardo DiCaprio.”

The camerawork from Faraz Fesharaki strikes a series of moods, from the Vermeer-like painterly opening segment to the twinkling naturalism of the later episodes. He offers a docureal feel in cafe and street scenes that recall his beguiling work on What Do We See When We Look At The Sky?. The inquisitive camera drinks in the everyday sights of Sangerhausen, or zooms in on the looming slag-heap, which takes on a mysterious air thanks to repeated use of Toru Takemitsu’s flute piece ‘Air’ as a motif.

Yet, it is the attitudes of people that Radlmaier really has in his sights. This brings a fair quotient of humour but his careful scripting also articulates the way xenophobia often springs not from a place of hatred but from fear of the unknown, deliberately inflamed by populist politicians. The comedy, meanwhile, is enhanced by surreal flourishes, including a herd of camels, a poodle and a pair of naked ramblers, complete with accordion.

The phantom element of the English-language title drifts in gently. Ursula finds a connection she was forging with a visiting middle-class musician Zulima (Henriette Confurius) may not have the substance she thought, while Neda thinks she sees a face from the past. Finally Raldmaier brings his characters together in a conclusion of camaraderie and understanding.