Berlinale: Programme

Film File

Competition

Transit

Additional Information [...]

Florian Koerner von Gustorf (Producer), Franz Rogowski (Actor), Christian Petzold (Director, Screenwriter), Paula Beer (Actress), Hans Fromm (Director of Photography)

Moderation: Jenni Zylka

Press Conference at full length
 
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The German troops are just outside Paris. Georg escapes to Marseille at the last moment. His luggage contains the legacy of a writer named Weidel, who took his own life out of fear of persecution. This legacy comprises a manuscript, some letters and the Mexican Embassy’s assurance of a visa. Only those who can prove that they will leave are allowed in this port town, and this means you need an entry permit from a potential host country. Assuming the identity of Weidel, Georg tries to obtain one of the few scarce passages on a ship. Talks between refugees take place in the corridors of his small hotel, the waiting rooms of consulates, and the cafés and bars down at the harbour. Georg befriends Driss, the son of his late comrade Heinz, who died whilst trying to flee. But when he meets the mysterious Marie, his plans change. Transit is based on Anna Seghers’ eponymous novel which she wrote in exile. The film is set in contemporary Marseille where these characters from the past move around. And so, refugees from back then meet refugees from today, history meets the present, and all of their stories combine to create one eternal transit space.

by
Christian Petzold

Germany / France 2018

German, French

101’ · Colour

World premiere

With

Franz Rogowski (Georg)
Paula Beer (Marie)
Godehard Giese (Richard)
Lilien Batman (Driss)
Maryam Zaree
Barbara Auer
Matthias Brandt
Sebastian Hülk
Emilie de Preissac
Antoine Oppenheim

Crew

Written and directed by
Christian Petzold
Cinematography
Hans Fromm
Editing
Bettina Böhler
Music
Stefan Will
Sound Design
Dominik Schleier, Martin Steyer
Sound
Andreas Mücke-Niesytka
Production Design
Kade Gruber
Costumes
Katharina Ost
Make-up
Kitty Kratschke, Sonia Salazar Delgado
Assistant Directors
Ires Jung, Andreas Meszaros
Casting
Simone Bär, Joanna Delon
Production Managers
Dorissa Berninger, Juliette Lambours
Producers
Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber
Commissioning Editor
Caroline von Senden, Andreas Schreitmüller
Co-producer
Antonin Dedet
Co-production
neon productions, Marseille
ZDF, Mainz
Arte, Straßburg

Biography

Christian Petzold

Born in Hilden, Germany in 1960, he has lived in Berlin since 1981. He studied German and drama at Freie Universität Berlin and then, from 1988 to 1994, film at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (DFFB). He directed his first feature film in 1995. Made in 2000, his film The State I Am In won Gold at the German Film Awards; he was awarded the Silver Bear for Best Director for Barbara in 2012. Undine marks his fifth film to be presented in the Berlinale Competition and, following Transit, his second collaboration with Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski.

Filmography

1995 Pilotinnen · Pilotinnen 1996 Cuba Libre · Cuba Libre 1998 Die Beischlafdiebin · Die Beischlafdiebin 2000 Die innere Sicherheit (The State I Am In) · Die innere Sicherheit (The State I Am In) 2001 Toter Mann (Something to Remind Me) · Toter Mann (Something to Remind Me) 2002 Wolfsburg · Wolfsburg 2004 Gespenster (Ghosts) · Gespenster (Ghosts) 2006 Yella · Yella 2008 Jerichow · Jerichow 2011 Dreileben – Etwas besseres als der Tod (Dreileben – Beats Being Dead) · Dreileben – Etwas Besseres als den Tod (Dreileben – Beats Being Dead) 2012 Barbara · Barbara 2014 Phoenix · Phoenix 2018 Transit · Transit 2020 Undine

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020

© Christian Schulz Schramm Film

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Schramm Film Koerner & Weber
www.schrammfilm.de

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