A film by Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
Germany 2025, 104 min
Followed by a film talk with Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay and Claus Herzog-Reichel.
Ambitious young intern Elif wants to make the most of her chance to get ahead in the film business by shooting a film about the right-wing extremist arson attack in Solingen. To increase the authenticity of the film, the established director Yigit and his producer and partner Lilith have hired residents from a refugee centre as extras. The discovery of a burnt Koran after an emotional day of filming causes unrest and confusion among the extras. The overburdened Elif is not only asked to drive the extras back to the home, but also to bring the analogue film material to Yigit and Lilith’s flat, where she is staying during the shoot. The next day, the film material has disappeared. Everyone suspects everyone else and everyone has a good reason to get rid of the explosive film material. Emotions run high and conflicting opinions on political and religious issues clash with full force. And the question still hangs over everything: who and what is behind the theft?
Director & screenplay: Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay – Director of photography: Christian Kochmann – Editors: Denys Darahan & Andreas Menn – Music: Marvin Miller – With Devrim Lingnau, Mehdi Meskar, Serkan Kaya, Nicolette Krebitz, Aziz Çapkurt and others. – German distributor: Rapid Eye Movies, rapideyemovies.de
Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay (born 1987) is a filmmaker and producer who graduated from the Academy of Media Arts Cologne. His directorial debut Oray, garnered international acclaim and won the prestigious Best First Feature Award at the 2019 Berlinale. In 2020, he co-founded filmfaust GmbH with producer Claus Herzog-Reichel. The company has since established itself as a creative force in European cinema, producing award-winning features and documentaries. Notable productions include Cem Kaya’s Love, Deutschmark and Death (2022) and Sirens Call (2025) by directing duo Miri Ian Gossing and Lina Sieckmann.
