Vinz is in the middle of his A-levels and thus in the early stages of a new phase in his life, which presents him with major challenges. As the top scorer at Phoenix Hagen, the success of the upcoming final game is in his hands. He has what it takes to become a professional basketball player and his brother Georg, who is twelve years older, can't imagine anything better for Vinz's life. After all, his own basketball career failed ten years ago after the tragic death of his parents due to the stresses and strains of his private life. Now Vinz is supposed to make up for what Georg was denied back then. But does Vinz even want to? He has been secretly applying for a scholarship in the USA for months, although the idea of leaving his two old friends Samy and Ali behind is difficult for him. When Vinz falls in love with Kathi, he is even less sure of his own plans. The final match for promotion to the 1st Bundesliga will not only decide the future of Phoenix Hagen.
Acting
Mišel Matičević makes Georg's resentment quietly devastating.
Practical Effects
Actual Phoenix Hagen players — no Hollywood basketball fakery here.
Director
Wolfgang Groos
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Phoenix Hagen is a real German basketball club, and this was basically a sponsored film that accidentally became genuine cinema. The players you see? Actually them.
This captures a specific 2000s German phenomenon: small-town sports clubs as the only escape hatch for working-class kids, and the crushing weight when that door starts to close.
DE
