Die Sieger (Director’s Cut)

The Invincibles (Director’s Cut)
Karl Simon is the leader of a police SWAT team in Düsseldorf. During a raid on a mafia stronghold, one suspect escapes. But Simon recognises the fleeing man as his former colleague Heinz Schaefer. The latter was said to have committed suicide years earlier after killing his disabled child in an act of desperation. But the search for that “ghost” turns into a dangerous game for Simon and his crew. The people in charge will do whatever it takes to cover up a conspiracy involving politicians and organised crime … This German variation on the Italian Giallo films had its premiere 25 years ago. For this director’s cut, Dominik Graf has added three scenes to his brawny police thriller. The restoration crew at Bavaria Film took the scenes, which had not survived on 35mm, from a videotape of the rough cut, and incorporated them into the original theatrical release version. The challenge was to process the additional scenes to match the high-quality 4K digital material. The audio work required particular attention, since the additional scenes had never been mixed.
by Dominik Graf
with Herbert Knaup, Katja Flint, Hansa Czypionka, Heinz Hoenig, Heinrich Schafmeister, Michael Breitsprecher, Hannes Jaenicke, Meret Becker, Natalia Wörner
Germany 1994 German 146’ Colour

With

  • Herbert Knaup
  • Katja Flint
  • Hansa Czypionka
  • Heinz Hoenig
  • Heinrich Schafmeister
  • Michael Breitsprecher
  • Hannes Jaenicke
  • Meret Becker
  • Natalia Wörner

Crew

Director Dominik Graf
Screenplay Günter Schütter story by Peter Hollweg, Klaus Maas
Cinematography Diethard Prengel
Editing Christel Suckow
Music Loy Wesselburg, Dominik Graf, Helmut Spanner
Sound Rolf W. Hapke
Art Director Götz Weidner
Costumes Barbara Grupp
Producer Günter Rohrbach
Commissioning Editor Christoph Holch

World sales

Bavaria Film GmbH, Geiselgasteig

Additional information

DCP: Bavaria Film, München

Dominik Graf

Born in Munich, Germany in 1952, he studied at the city’s University of Film and Television from 1974 to 1980. In the course of his career as a director and writer he has won many prizes including the German Film Award, the Bavarian Film and Television award, the German Television Award and numerous Grimme Awards. His best-known works include the films Die Katze, Die Sieger, Hotte im Paradies and Die geliebten Schwestern; the series Der Fahnder and Im Angesicht des Verbrechens, and several episodes of “Polizeiruf 110” and “Tatort”. In 2010, he published a book of essays on film.

Filmography (selection)

1979 Der kostbare Gast · Familientag; TV series, 2 episodes 1980 Neonstadt; anthology film, episode “Running Blue” 1982 Das zweite Gesicht 1983 Köberle kommt; TV series, 6 episodes · Der Fahnder; TV series, 8 episodes · Treffer; TV movie 1984 Tatort: Schwarzes Wochenende; TV movie 1985 Drei gegen drei 1986 Die Beute; TV movie · Bei Thea; TV movie 1987 Die Katze 1988 Tiger, Löwe, Panther; TV movie 1990 Spieler 1991 Der Fahnder; TV series, 5 episodes 1992 Die Verflechtung; TV movie 1994 Der Sieger 1995 Tatort: Frau Bu lacht; TV movie · Reise nach Weimar · Sperling und das Loch in der Wand; TV pilot 1996 Dr. Knock; TV movie · Das Wispern im Berg der Dinge; TV documentary · Der Skorpion; TV movie 1997 Sperling und der brennende Arm; TV movie 1998 Bittere Unschuld; TV movie · Deine besten Jahre; TV movie 2000 München – Geheimnisse einer Stadt 2001 Der Felsen 2002 Die Freunde der Freunde; TV movie · Hotte im Paradies; TV movie 2003 Polizeiruf 110: Der scharlachrote Engel; TV movie 2005 Der rote Kakadu · Polizeiruf 110: Er sollte tot; TV movie 2006 Eine Stadt wird erpresst; TV movie 2007 Das Gelübde; TV movie · Süden & der Luftgitarrist; TV movie 2008 Deutschland 09; anthology film, episode: “Der Weg, den wir nicht zusammen gehen”, co-director: Martin Gressmann 2010 Im Angesicht des Verbrechens; TV series, 10 episodes · Polizeiruf 110: Cassandras Warnung; TV movie 2011 3Leben; TV movie · Das unsichtbare Mädchen; TV movie · Lawinen der Erinnerung; TV documentary 2013 Die geliebten Schwestern · Tatort: Aus der Tiefe der Zeit; TV movie · Die reichen Leichen. Ein Starnbergkrimi; TV movie 2014 Es werde Stadt!; TV documentary · Polizeiruf 110: Smoke on the water; TV movie · Was heißt hier Ende? Der Filmkritiker Michael Althen; TV documentary 2015 Zielfahnder – Flucht in die Karpaten 2016 Verfluchte Liebe deutscher Film; TV documentary · Am Abend aller Tage; TV movie 2017 Offene Wunde deutscher Film; TV movie · Tatort: Der rote Schatten; TV movie · Hanne; TV movie 2019 Polizeiruf 110: Die Lüge, die wir Zukunft nennen; TV movie 2021 Fabian oder Der Gang vor die Hunde (Fabian – Going to the Dogs)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2021