The dramatic and the absurd often go hand-in-hand — often when we least expect it. Case in point: Fabian Stumm’s second German feature Sad Jokes.

Take Joseph (Stumm). Like many of us, he’s enraptured by the moving image. He’s working on a new feature about Automatonophobia (or fear of statues) of all things. Also, like many of us, he’s looking to make a change. While Joseph is known as a dramatic director telling dramatic stories, he wants to move into comedic territory: a tonal line that Stumm’s Sad Jokes mostly walks with precision and care.

Internationally premiering at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival after winning the prize award at the Munich Film Festival, Stumm’s newest film captures the modern tribulations of a queer artist in search of his own identity through his work. Structured as a series of situational vignettes that range from deeply heartfelt to awkwardly funny, Stumm assumes the dual role of director and lead actor with refreshing confidence.

While many directors may recognize how their work is the summation of different aspects of their lives, Joseph keeps his lines separate. He’s still working through a break-up from over three years ago and is raising a kid with his best friend, Sonya (Haley Louise Jones), who is hospitalized for depression. It’s not exactly easy. But if you’re a producer questioning Joseph about his new project, you’d never know all the details.

Michael Bennett, who worked with Stumm on his first feature, captures everyday life here with simple and graceful cinematography. The camera rarely moves an inch and when it does, it glides with ease. When Joseph exits the scene, we don’t see where he’s going. All of the framing choices make the film feel theatrical and confined in place — right in line with Stumm’s background as an actor at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute.

Sad Jokes is mostly scattershot and observational in approach, which feels directly in line with Joseph’s own mindset on life. Stumm, in addition to directing and acting, also wrote a screenplay that excels when following Joseph’s interaction with different people in his life. While the film perhaps remains slightly too disconnected until the very end — especially with Joseph struggling to raise his kid without Sonya — Stumm’s exceptional writing takes us on a rich emotional journey that any creative person can relate to.

In the leading role, Stumm manages to channel so many different emotions into one look, playing the ridiculous and devastating moments with equal measure. A solid supporting cast rounds out Joseph’s world, particularly his ex-boyfriend, Marc (Jonas Dassler). Dassler only has one scene but he brings so much life and maturity, leading us to understand how Marc has forever shaped Joseph’s life. Ulrica Flach’s performance as Joseph’s drawing teacher also sneaks upon us, especially with her final monologue.

While not every single thread of Joseph’s life feels fully brought together by the end, the final few scenes of Sad Jokes are heartbreaking and tender. Stumm ultimately captures how odd and defiantly wonderful it is to be a human being trying to make sense of a world where even the most depressing circumstances can lead to something profound. In these cases, laughter is not just a dose of medicine: it’s a way of moving forward.

Review Courtesy of Matt Minton

Feature Image of Fabian Stumm & Jonas Dassler, Courtesy of Postofilm & TIFF 2024