NaPolA (2004)

Director:

Dennis Gansel

Writers:

Dennis Gansel (writer)
Maggie Peren (writer)

Release Date:

25 December 2004 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama | Sport | War

Tagline:

Men Make History. We Make The Men.

Plot:

In 1942, Friedrich Weimer's boxing skills get him an appointment to a National Political Academy (NaPolA) - high schools that produce Nazi elite...

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Factory | Russian | Forest | Friendship

Awards:

7 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Max Riemelt	...	Friedrich Weimer
Tom Schilling	...	Albrecht Stein
Jonas Jägermeyr	...	Christoph Schneider
Leon A. Kersten	...	Tjaden (as Leon Alexander Kersten)
Thomas Drechsel	...	Hefe
Martin Goeres	...	Siegfried Gladen
Florian Stetter	...	Justus von Jaucher
Devid Striesow	...	Vogler
Joachim Bissmeier	...	Anstaltsleiter
Michael Schenk	...	Sportlehrer
Justus von Dohnanyi	...	Gauleiter Heinrich Stein (as Justus von Dohnàny and Justus von Dohnányi)
Claudia Michelsen	...	Frau Stein
Julie Engelbrecht	...	Katharina (as Julie Marie Engelbrecht)
Johannes Zirner	...	Torben Send
Gerald Alexander Held	...	Friedrichs Vater (as Alexander Held)

Also Known As:

Before the Fall (International: English title)
Before the Fall (Napola) (USA)
Junge Wölfe - Elite für den Führer (Germany) (working title)
NaPolA (Germany) (closing credits title)
Napola (Germany) (short title)
Napola - Elite für den Führer (Germany) (promotional title)
Napola: Hitler's Elite (Singapore: English title) (poster title)

Runtime:

117 min | Czech Republic:110 min (Karlovy Vary Film Festival) | Argentina:110 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival) | USA:110 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIA | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | UK:12 | Netherlands:12 | Hungary:14 | Australia:MA | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Hamburg, Germany

Company:

Olga Film GmbH

Trivia:

About 44 minutes into the US DVD edition of the movie, there is a scene where Albrecht pauses sadly over a picture of a fallen soldier, Torben Send. Torben was the previous editor of the school paper. There was a brief scene with the two of them before Torben left for the army, but it was ultimately cut from the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: During Friedrich's glider flight, his helmet is securely strapped at the start but is shown unstrapped a few seconds later. He kept both hands on the glider's yoke.

Quotes:

Christoph Schneider: Pull yourself together!
Albrecht Stein: Pull myself together? Do you know what we just did? You shouldn't have shot! You shouldn't have shot!
Tjaden: I didn't give the order. Your father said they had guns!
Albrecht Stein: Why are you looking at me like that?
Friedrich Weimer: I'm not looking at you.
Albrecht Stein: I know what you're thinking. Don't look at me like that!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Cinemania: I anodos kai i ptosi tou Nazismou" (2008)

extremely touching film

I saw this film once, and needed to return once more to see it again. This film touched my heart in a way that very few others have. Max Riemelt and Tom Schilling give one of the most convincing and stellar performances I have ever seen. Their chemistry on screen is such that the audience becomes fully engaged in their emotion and in their situation. Their heart-wrenching performance is illuminated by director Dennis Gansel's artistic genius. There are breathtaking shots of German landscape and scenery. There are angles and shots throughout the movie that remain very close to you long after the movie is finished. The story is a very vivid reminder of the horrors that man is capable of producing. This German film is a reminder of that horror, but also reminds us that there is innocence within that horror. If anything, this film depicted young men who were stripped of their innocence. Some gave in to the horror, while our heroes fought against it. For those who are lovers of the German language, you will hear no finer dialogue and range of speech than in this incredible work. I urge anyone and everyone to see this film.