Sonja Heiss’s ensemble comedy Raging Moms heads to the AFM
- The pic, starring Laura Tonke, Heike Makatsch, Katharina Marie Schubert and Anne Ratte-Polle, explores the upheavals of middle age through four women determined to reinvent themselves
The German ensemble comedy Raging Moms, penned and directed by Sonja Heiss, is set to be presented to international buyers at the upcoming American Film Market (AFM). The feature, staged by Wiedemann & Berg Film, will be unveiled in Los Angeles ahead of its planned German theatrical release through Leonine Studios on 21 January 2027.
The film centres on four women confronting the frustrations, uncertainties and unexpected possibilities of middle age. Menopause, changing family dynamics, complicated relationships and the fear of growing older prompt the protagonists to question their seemingly settled lives. As they abandon familiar routines and make increasingly unpredictable decisions, their friendship becomes an anchor in a story about reclaiming independence and embracing change.
Laura Tonke (Amrum, The People vs. Fritz Bauer) plays Vera, whose growing dissatisfaction with her marriage and career leads her to make a radical break. Katharina Marie Schubert (The Teachers’ Lounge) portrays Anne, struggling with loneliness after her son leaves home, whilst Anne Ratte-Polle (Dark, Undine) plays Miriam, a professor navigating a troubled relationship. Heike Makatsch (Love Actually, The Book Thief) completes the central quartet as Liv, whose attempts to keep the ageing process at bay produce their own complications.
The supporting cast includes Tom Schilling (Never Look Away), Christoph Maria Herbst (Contra) and Trystan Pütter (Toni Erdmann), alongside Sogol Faghani and Milena Tscharntke.
Previously, Heiss directed When Will It Be Again Like It Never Was Before, adapted from Joachim Meyerhoff’s autobiographical novel, which earned her a nomination for Best Director at the German Film Awards. Her latest feature blends comedy with an examination of female identity, friendship and the social expectations surrounding women entering the second half of their lives.
Raging Moms is being produced by Johanna Bergel, Quirin Berg and Max Wiedemann for Wiedemann & Berg Film, the German banner whose credits include The Lives of Others, Never Look Away and Weekend Rebels. Principal photography took place in Berlin and Bavaria, wrapping in August 2025. The production received backing from the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), the German Federal Film Board (FFA), Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and FilmFernsehFonds Bayern.
As first reported by Variety, Berlin-based Picture Tree International has acquired the project's international sales rights. Alongside Raging Moms, Picture Tree International’s forthcoming AFM slate includes a newly restored 4K version of Oliver Hirschbiegel’s The Experiment, Constantin Film’s comedy sequel The Perfect Holiday and the Swedish tech satire Push the Button, helmed by Anton Källrot.
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