Rabbit Don’t Run

Life feels like a constant challenge in Rabbit Don’t Run.

This half-hour short film from Elisabeth Jakobi and Maximilian Conway courtesy of the Film Academy of Vienna drops the viewer in media res, with carer Toni (Christoph Kohlbacher) suspected for some missing pills and desperately trying to kick-start his ailing football career despite niggling injury. Screening this week as part of the student competition at Sarajevo, the film is a well put together and impressively acted drama about the dangers of being reckless and self-centred in the pursuit of your dreams.

The film particularly excels in its depiction of Toni and his partner Nadia’s (Lorena Emmi Mayer) home life; the quiet chaos of a large family in cramped conditions, children taking care of themselves while the adults work long hours of shift work, and everyone on top of each other at all times. Both the adult and child actors are all excellent, as money worries, conflicting priorities and difficult infants strain the situation that is still anchored in care and love. It is slightly less convincing on the football field, where Toni’s devotion feels marginally less authentic. But when an agent coming to watch him play promises a transfer to a bigger club, some financial leeway comes into sight.

As Toni, Kohlbacher exudes a particular energy. He seems to always be trying to play it cool and confident, but there is a jittery edginess to him throughout. It comes through in his desire to resist any kind of authority, be the focal point during his team’s football matches, and in an apparently constant motion in his daily life. He never feels settled, like he’s being driven by a restlessness that he can’t quite channel in a productive direction. Konstantin Johann’s handheld photography helps to emphasise these elements, creating a tension that only ever ebbs when Toni is with Nadia, but it sadly never seems enough comfort for him to settle.

Director: Elisabeth Jakobi, Maximilian Conway
Screenplay: Elisabeth Jakobi
Cast: Christoph Kohlbacher, Lorena Emmi Mayer, Ida Beier, Luise Morawetz, Savita Brosenbauer
Producers: Dominic Kubisch, Julia Stempelova
Cinematography: Konstantin Johann
Editing: Alexander Worsch
Music: Florian Seyser-Trenk, Felix Romer
Sound: Fabian Hainzl
Production design: Laura Huber
Production companies: Filmadacdemy Vienna (Austria)
Venue: Sarajevo Film Festival (Student Short Film Competition)
In German
30 minutes

Read our coverage of more short films in our Verdict Shorts section.