Dichter und Kämpfer

Literature as a live act, poetry flung out to a large audience and word-acrobatics on demand. Director Marion Hütter follows four German poetry slammers over a year as they perform and rehearse, and also records their lives beyond their role as ‘rhymers and rivals’. Julius, Theresa, Sebastian and Philipp have different personalities; although they all do their own thing they share a common aim: to give their audiences an earful of something to think about. This documentary shows us what drives these four bards to give their all, night after night, for the delectation of the audience, and explores the way in which slam poetry has changed in recent years. When they began, these four were part of a small but intimate circle. Nowadays the slam scene is much broader, more diverse and competitive. All at once a sub-culture that was once dismissed now finds itself feted by mainstream culture.