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Berlin Alexanderplatz

Competition 2020
© Stephanie Kulbach/2019 Sommerhaus/eOne Germany
Francis has survived his escape from West Africa. When he wakes up on a beach in the south of Europe, he is determined to live a regular, decent life from now on. But he winds up in present-day Berlin where a stateless person without a work permit is treated just as mercilessly as the labourer Franz Biberkopf in Döblin’s classic novel of German modernism. Francis initially resists an offer to deal drugs in Hasenheide park, but then comes under the influence of Reinhold, his neurotic, sex-addicted pal who takes him in. When Francis meets club owner Eva and, after several dramatic experiences, the escort girl Mieze, he feels he’s found something for the first time, something he’s never known before: a little bit of happiness – which is precisely what Reinhold begrudges him. Like the literary source material, this contemporary version of Berlin Alexanderplatz is also about society and outsiders, desire and travesty. Not unlike Fassbinder’s version, Qurbani’s epic is a gloomy journey through the “dark night of the soul” – not least on account of its authentic, atmospheric images of Francis’ city of exile: Berlin.
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by Burhan Qurbani (Director, Screenplay), Martin Behnke (Screenplay)
with Welket Bungué, Jella Haase, Albrecht Schuch, Joachim Król, Annabelle Mandeng, Nils Verkooijen, Richard Fouofié Djimeli, Thelma Buabeng, Faris Saleh, Michael Davies Germany / Netherlands 2020 German, English 183' Colour World premiere Rating R16

With

  • Welket Bungué (Francis)
  • Jella Haase (Mieze)
  • Albrecht Schuch (Reinhold)
  • Joachim Król (Pums)
  • Annabelle Mandeng (Eva)
  • Nils Verkooijen (Berta)
  • Richard Fouofié Djimeli (Ottu)
  • Thelma Buabeng (Amira)
  • Faris Saleh (Masud)
  • Michael Davies (Bantu)

Crew

Director Burhan Qurbani
Screenplay Martin Behnke, Burhan Qurbani
Cinematography Yoshi Heimrath
Editing Philipp Thomas
Music Dascha Dauenhauer
Sound Design Michel Schöpping
Sound Simone Galavazi, Gaby de Haan
Production Design Silke Buhr
Costumes Anna Wübber
Make-Up Marcela Barreto
Assistant Director David Houfek
Casting Suse Marquardt, Alexandra Koknat
Line Producers Sophie Cocco, Michael Jungfleisch
Producers Leif Alexis, Jochen Laube, Fabian Maubach
Co-Producers Leontine Petit, Erik Glijnias
Commissioning Editors Burkhard Althoff, Olaf Grunert
Co-Production Lemming Film Amsterdam
ZDF und Arte Mainz

World Sales

Beta Cinema

Produced by

Sommerhaus Filmproduktion

Photos

Press Conference

Red Carpet

Berlinale Meets | Interview

Burhan Qurbani

© Malik Vitthal

Born in 1980. After completing school, the filmmaker worked as a dramaturge’s and director’s assistant in various theatres. While he was studying at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, his short films won several prizes including the German Film Critics’ Award. His graduation film Shahada premiered in the 2010 Berlinale Competition and won a number of international prizes. Wir sind jung. Wir sind stark. opened the 2014 Rome Film Fest and the Hof International Film Festival. In 2020, Berlin Alexanderplatz was selected for the Berlinale Competition and won five accolades at the German Film Awards.

Filmography

2007 Illusion 2010 Shahada · Krieger ohne Feind 2014 Wir sind jung. Wir sind stark. 2020 Berlin Alexanderplatz 2025 Kein Tier. So Wild.

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2025