Program

Linie 12

Storyline

Peregrin, the train conductor, does his work dutifully on line 12. He drives the train over deep abysses and oceans to connect cities that loom like towering mountains. The train is already departing when the free-spirited musician Clara sneaks on the train at the last minute, forcing Peregrin to make an emergency stop. When he goes to investigate what caused the disturbance, he meets Clara. It is apparent that the two know each other and that he is annoyed by her presence and her quirky manner. She follows him into the engine room and starts playing on her saxophone. Peregrin is mesmerized and distracted by her enchanting music so that the lever for the brakes breaks, and the whole system is out of tune. To save the train and its passengers from crashing, Peregrin needs to climb on top of the train, and Clara needs to push buttons and turn wheels in tune. After a nerve-racking struggle, they manage to work together and stop the train. Relieved and exausted Pergrin sits atop the train and finally gets a chance to admire the beautiful nightly scenery. Clara joins him, and together they marvel for a moment at the midnight sky and the planets above, the ocean underneath and the distant city ahead. Back in the driver's cabin, the engine is missing too many pipes. Without them the train can't continue its journey. Clara offers her saxophones three pipes, and with them, the two of them repair the engine and continue their journey.

About the film/director

Sarah Schulz, born 1996 in Zweibrücken, began her Animation studies at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in 2016. In 2019, she joined Cartoon Saloon as a Clean-Up artist on their Oscar nominated feature “Wolfwalkers” (2020). After graduating in 2023, she has worked as an illustrator of childrens' books.

FILMOGRAPHY:
Linie 12 (2025) – student gradation film
Kleiner Großer Bär (2018) – student film

Christopher Schmier has worked for the ARD/ZDF subsidiary phoenix before beginning his studies at the renowned Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in 2016. During his studies, he created several animation short films. Since 2020, he is working for E.D.FILMS in Montreal, a studio that has garnered international acclaim for various projects.

FILMOGRAPHY:
2025: Linie 12 by Sarah Schulz, Chris Schmier – student graduation film
2019: fLUX by Sara Shabani, Co-director: Chris Schmier – student film
2018: ausgeliefert by Chris Schmier – student film
2017: IM FALSCHEN LICHT by Laura Staab, Chris Schmier – student film

Director’s statement

In an increasingly complicated world, in which everything is constantly in motion, constantly changing, in which you are nothing more than a cog in the wheel of much larger interrelationships - do you decide to learn to understand the rules of this juggernaut - or do you not even try the impossible, and decide on the right direction at life's waypoints based on gut feeling?