Konstantina Levi, a Greek-German filmmaker, had a journey to make this film. With three days before the shoot, what was meant to be an acid-music video suddenly fell through with the label not accessing rights to music and cast dropping out. Undeterred and ready to make a 90s-esque skater spin off but with women, Konstantina hung out at a Berlin skate park and soon met her first cast member: Maria. You'd be forgiven for thinking Maria knew Robin before this, but that's not the case.

Maria met Robin one day later, and the two vibed so much Robin soon became the pair to Maria. Robin & Maria is a film about youth, love and the tender encounter of two women in the male-dominated world of skateboarding. A film where the protagonists get to know each other during the casting process - picking each other, and creating a sense of intimacy.

The narrative is built between the voiceover and the spaces the pair chose. The voiceover is fragments from WhatsApp messages that Robin and Maria sent each other during the post-production period. The spaces were where Robin and Maria feel safe together amidst the male-dominated scene.

When Robin and Maria skate, we hear waves crashing in the soundscape. This film is an access to their world of thoughts; Robin and Maria's desires to both stay and escape being children, now adults in the big city.

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Konstantina Levi 'Originally this film was supposed to become a music video for an acid track and I had two young, already pro skaters as cast. I wanted to make a film about girls that skate which should be empowering and as cool as all the trasher videos of the boys in the 90s, in my youth.

Everything happened differently. The label had problems with the music rights and my cast dropped out. But I had everything organized and was determined to make the project happen. But the shoot was planned for 3 days later and I had no cast and no music... and then I met Maria on Tempelhofer Feld skating....and a day after this, Maria found Robin at the weekly girl's skate night in Berlin.

I think it was then when I realized this won't be my story anymore but instead they would create their very own world. The energy between them was incredible from the very first moment, both weren't experienced in acting, they'd never even been in front of a camera before. But this wasn't necessary, their presence was so strong.

We edited the whole piece without music and without sound. In the end when we had put the pieces together, Dillon, Blvth and Diaven composed a soundtrack which was made for the images and the images only and is accompanied by voice messages the girls sent each other over the course of one year. My narrative turned into the documentation of a deep and tender connection of two young girls who chose each other and I am grateful I could portray them on this journey. This film is their story; Robin & Maria.'

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Official Selections

Cannes Indieshort Awards 2022

Liftoff Global Network First Time Filmmaker Awards 2022

Hilltop Festival for Diversity & Inclusion 2022

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