The Straw That Broke

The Straw That Broke (2021) is a science fiction film directed by Valentin Hennig.

"The Straw That Broke" is a surrealist, micro-budget meta-fiction feature blending retro-futuristic aesthetics with philosophy to explore the boundaries between reality and the digital realm. "The virtual is viral," announces Clea Bardan, editor at DeBase SF, to Claudia Weiss, her overworked author of futuristic pulp fiction. Clea demands an impossible task: write five volumes within 31 hours. Claudia's journey spans from Stuttgart to Nueva York, a Harkonnen spaceship, and a water-based planet holding the secret to saving the multiverse from the O-Cloud—a virus destroying sentient life at its ontological core. But how much of this reality is authentic, and can a talking mouse from Claudia's own stories save the multiverse? Using diverse cinematic devices, the film tackles deep metaphysical questions while remaining a poignant story about loss, love, and hope for us all.

Cast

Robert Besta

Roithammer

Manuel Harder

Markus

Santiago Ziesmer

Encyclopedia Mouse

Claudia Gallatz

Claudia Weiss

Manja Kuhl

Clea Bardan

Konrad Lucas

Flint McCrae

Gabrielle Zimmermann

Dr. Zimmermann