Im Juli. (2000)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Fatih Akin

Writer:

Fatih Akin (writer)

Release Date:

24 August 2000 (Germany)

Genre:

Romance | Comedy

Tagline:

Im Herz. Im Bauch. Im Juli.

Plot:

Can Daniel follow the sun from Hamburg to the Bosporus by Friday to meet his love?

Plot Keywords:

Hamburg | Summer | Teacher | Flea Market | Magic Ring

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Moritz Bleibtreu	...	Daniel Bannier
Christiane Paul	...	Juli
Mehmet Kurtulus	...	Isa
Idil Üner	...	Melek
Jochen Nickel	...	Leo
Branka Katic	...	Luna
Birol Ünel	...	Kellner
Sandra Borgmann	...	Marion
Ernest Hausmann	...	Kodjo
Gábor Salinger	...	Marktverkäufer
Cem Akin	...	Türkischer Grenzbeamter
Fatih Akin	...	Rumänischer Grenzbeamter
Nina Lauterbach	...	Schülerin Kira
Linda Wagner	...	Schülerin Anette
Hans Daglioglu	...	Schüler Ernie

Also Known As:

In July (International: English title)

Runtime:

99 min | Colombia:98 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German | English | Turkish | Bulgarian | Serbo-Croatian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | Germany:12 (w) | Norway:11

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

Argos Filmcilik Turizm

Trivia:

When Daniel and Juli are traveling through Romania, only photos are shown instead of real film footage. The reason for that is the Romanian government didn't give permission to film in their country, so they had to take photos instead.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: During the end of the film, Daniel, Juli, Isa and Melek pass the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (Second Bridge) from the European side to the Asian side just after Daniel and Juli are picked up by the others, but seconds later during the helicopter shot they are crossing from the Asian side to the European side on the Bosphorus Bridge (First Bridge).

Quotes:

Juli: You look like you could use some luck.
Daniel Bannier: A bag would do.
Juli: [holds out a ring] What's this?
Daniel Bannier: A sun.
Juli: What's a sun.
Daniel Bannier: It's a ball of gas which the Earth and 8 other planets revolve around.
Juli: The sun lights up life: for me, for her, and for you. Another word for light is?
Daniel Bannier: Energy?
Juli: It's good luck.
Daniel Bannier: I see. The ring is a lucky charm.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References It Happened One Night (1934)

Soundtrack:

Istanbul twilight

Light and funny yet deep and charming - an original movie you shouldn't miss!

What I found special about the "Im Juli" is that, although the story feels like a fantasy, the characters are very warm and real. All those meetings and coincidences looked a little unbelievable first time, but now I think everything makes sense if we see the story as an allegory…meaningful but at the same time light and funny.

The playfulness of the script might perhaps make some miss the message of the movie, but the message actually is there and is a strong one. As I see it, "Im Juli" is a story about hope and about finding life and happiness. Searching for the one meant for you in furthest places to realise that what you've been searching for was right next to you all along.

I liked the idea of the first part of the movie being a flashback until we get back to the sun eclipse we had seen at the beginning. After the sun comes out again it looks like dark gets out of Daniel's mind and the sun shows him the right way this time: that Juli was the one he had been searching all along. The whole journey changes Daniel incredibly much as with her sun amulet, Juli learns him to do the same as her: trust faith and go on searching for happiness. The ending was really perfect: all the 4 characters' roads coming together and Daniel finally seeing the ultimate proof that he had found what he was looking for.

What I enjoyed about the movie is that although the message is a serious one, the story is so light and everything goes on really fast and surprising. The whole journey through so many different countries and passing beside so many different people and cultures was really interesting and refreshing, as were all the characters in the movie. All the actors, playing the Turkish guy, Luna or the officer at the Romanian border, looked they were really enjoying their roles and brought most of the movie's humour: great, subtle and nothing Hollywood like.

All in all, I thought it was a really enjoyable movie, so different from the usual productions we get from Hollywood. Really a movie you shouldn't miss!