What happens when a neo-Nazi teen meets an 80-year-old man who sees his dead lover in him?
16-year old Axel and his clique are rioting in a residential home. There he meets the 80-year old Gustav who gains interest in the young boy, as he reminds him of his lost love.
Acting
Helmut Berger's final performance—fragile, magnetic, deeply unsettling.
Direction
Kern stages desire and revulsion as inseparable forces.
Director
Peter Kern
Helmut Berger
Gustav Tritzinsky
Harry Lampl
Axel
Melanie Kretschmann
Jacob Ostermann a.k.a Christina Thürmer
Michael Steinocher
Lippi
Manuel Rubey
Snoopy
Matthias Franz Stein
Wolfi
Oliver Rosskopf
Peter
Heribert Sasse
Willy
Gregor Seberg
Dr. Kraake
Paul Matic
SS-Scharführer Hangreiser
Lukas Perman
Steven
Peter Kern
Head of Staff
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Helmut Berger was essentially blacklisted from mainstream cinema for decades; Kern specifically wrote this for him as a comeback that ensured he'd never be invited back.
The film sparked walkouts at Berlinale 2009 and was denounced by both conservative critics and queer activists—Kern considered this the perfect reception. The '4.4' TMDB score is practically a badge of honor.
AT
