The First Time

1996 1h 30m DE

🤯

9.0

MASTERPIECE

★9.0TMDB · 2

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

15-year-old Berliner Fili has lost interest in school and spends much time daydreaming about how she will lose her virginity to Johnny Depp, whom she's never met. She composes a series of audio letters to him, begins saving money for a plane ticket to Los Angeles in hopes of visiting him, and has imaginary conversations with Depp (in his various film roles). Meanwhile, the talk among Fili's friends is of boys and sex. When Fili discovers that Johnny is only interested in girls with some experience, she is in a hurry to lose her virginity -- but with whom? Trying to find the right guy for her initiation turns out to be a bit more complicated than Fili imagined; the fellow she picks is twentysomething Ike who already has a girlfriend and isn't too interested in Fili.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Lavinia Wilson
Fili
Benno Fürmann
Ike
Hannes Jaenicke
George
Eva Haßmann
Nina
Andreas Herder
Johnny Depp
Oriana Schrage
Becky
Anne Kasprik
Helga
Emma Hipp
Millie

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Connie Walther
Writers: Connie Walther, Anke Schenkluhn
Languages: German
Countries: Germany

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

90 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

30 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Connie Walther, shot by Peter Nix. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Original score by Reinhold Heil. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Carola Hülsebus shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Lavinia Wilson and Benno Fürmann and Hannes Jaenicke carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0119071 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Connie Walther directs. Peter Nix behind the camera. Reinhold Heil scores. Carola Hülsebus cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Germany. Dialogue in German.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

190 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
230 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Connie Walther, shot by Peter Nix. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Reinhold Heil. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Carola Hülsebus shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Lavinia Wilson and Benno Fürmann and Hannes Jaenicke carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0119071 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.