16 year-old Georg is forced to leave his home in the West, which means saying goodbye to his two loves; his girlfriend, and his Taekwondo team, something that is all-important to him. Now living in Cottbus, an economically depressed place where the people are not too fond of things like American culture and foreigners living in their country, Georg soon falls in with a group of angry mates. Together the group delves further into a nationalist way of thinking, and soon they are shaving their heads, and becoming a skinhead gang. "Kombat Sechzehn" features some impressive, proffessional looking fight sequences, as well as a memorable soundtrack.
Stunts
Fight choreography that punches way above its budget.
Acting
Bartholomäi's slow-burn transformation from lost boy to something uglier.
Score
Soundtrack that weaponizes nostalgia against itself.
Director
Mirko Borscht
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Shot in actual Cottbus locations, using real local extras who'd lived through the economic collapse depicted. The director reportedly faced threats during production.
Florian Bartholomäi performed most of his own Taekwondo sequences after training for eight months; his final belt test was scheduled for the week after wrap.
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