The Edukators (2004) Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei (original title)

Director:

Hans Weingartner

Writers:

Hans Weingartner
Katharina Held

Release Date:

25 November 2004 (Austria)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Every Heart is a revolutionary cell

Plot:

Three activists cobble together a kidnapping plot after they encounter a businessman in his home.

Plot Keywords:

Activist | Businessman | Friend | Love Triangle | Revolutionary

Awards:

9 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Daniel Brühl	...	Jan
Julia Jentsch	...	Jule
Stipe Erceg	...	Peter
Burghart Klaußner	...	Hardenberg (as Burghart Klaussner)
Peer Martiny	...	Villenbesitzer Jürgen
Petra Zieser	...	Villenbesitzerin
Laura Schmidt	...	Tochter Laura
Sebastian Butz	...	Sohn
Oliver Bröcker	...	Aggressiver Globalisierungsgegner
Knut Berger	...	Globalisierungsgegner
Hanns Zischler	...	Vermieter
Claudio Caiolo	...	Paolo
Bernhard Bettermann	...	Jules Chef
Sylvia Haider	...	Neureiche Frau 1
Claudia Jakobshagen	...	Neureiche Frau 2
Reiner Heise	...	Fahrscheinkontolleur
Heinz Kreitzen	...	Obdachloser
Lara Schützsack	...	Peters Bekannte
Heinz Fitz	...	Wanderer
Albert Gürtler	...	Betrunkener

Directed by
Hans Weingartner

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Katharina Held
Hans Weingartner

Produced by
Karsten Aurich	....	line producer
Sabine Holtgreve	....	producer: SWR
Georg Steinert	....	producer: Arte
Antonin Svoboda	....	producer
Hans Weingartner	....	producer

Original Music by
Andreas Wodraschke

Cinematography by
Daniela Knapp
Matthias Schellenberg

Film Editing by
Dirk Oetelshoven
Andreas Wodraschke

Casting by
Silke Koch
Suse Marquardt

Production Design by
Christian M. Goldbeck

Costume Design by
Silvia Pernegger

Makeup Department
Silvia Pernegger	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Karsten Aurich	....	production manager
Martin Cichy	....	unit manager
Bruno Wagner	....	production manager

Art Department
Johannes Pfaller	....	property master
Monica Suarez	....	assistant production designer (as Monika Suarez)

Sound Department
Uwe Dresch	....	supervising sound editor
Bernhard Maisch	....	sound re-recording mixer
Benjamin Riesenfeld	....	sound
Stefan Soltau	....	sound supervisor
Tini Tüllmann	....	sound assistant
Susy Wehrli	....	sound (as Susi Wehrli)
Roberto Cappannelli	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Klaus Waßen-Floren	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Amélie Losier	....	still photographer
Dirk Plamböck	....	still photographer

Editorial Department
Hannes Habenicht	....	assistant editor
Andreas Schellenberg	....	digital intermediate producer (uncredited)

Other crew
Monica Suarez	....	location scout: Spain

Production Companies

• Y3 Film
• Coop 99 (co-production)
• Südwestrundfunk (SWR) (in association with)
• Arte (in association with)

Distributors

• Celluloid Dreams (2004) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Delphi Filmverleih Produktion (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Cinemien (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Comstock (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• IFC Films (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Kinetique (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• SPI International (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Sharada Distribuzione (2006) (Italy) (theatrical)
• UGC Films (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Punto Zero (2008) (Italy) (all media) (as Enjoy Movies)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• VideoFilmes (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• VideoFilmes (2005) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• BKM, kulturelle Filmförderung des Bundes  production promotion
• Cine Tirol  promotion
• Filmfonds Wien  promotion
• Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg  promotion
• Synchro Film & Video  post-production facilities

Also Known As:

"Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei" - Germany (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, a scene of sexuality, and some drug use

Runtime:

France:127 min | Argentina:127 min

Country:

Germany | Austria

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:14 | Germany:12 (f) | Netherlands:12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Czech Republic:12 | USA:R | Japan:PG-12 | Norway:11 | Argentina:16 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Finland:K-15 | Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | Italy:T | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Hungary:14 | Ireland:15A | South Korea:15 | Chile:TE

Filming Locations:

Achenkirch, Tirol, Austria

Company:

Y3 Film

Trivia:

The song "Where's The Real Sky" is credited to Jeff Cole on the soundtrack and was mentioned in the movie as a favorite artist of Jan and Jule. Jeff Cole is a pseudonym for the score-writer, Andreas Wodraschke. The singer is his friend Sam Genders of London.

Goofs:

Continuity: The length of Jan's cigarette when painting Jule's apartment changes between when he is sitting talking to Jule and when he begins painting again.

Quotes:

Jan:Fear is a powerful drug when you learn to use it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Free Rainer (2007)

Soundtrack:

Easy to Love

Entertaining to the very last scene

I went to this film expecting a comedy in the mold of "Sonnenallee" or "Good Bye Lenin", and I wasn't disappointed. The characters became very real to me, even Hardenberg, the kidnapped businessman, who was a bit wooden at the beginning. For me, the best part of the film was watching the relationships build between all 4 of the main characters, both before and after the kidnapping. There is really very little action in the film: it's more about watching the characters develop personally and in their dealings with each other. Lest this sound too dry, I found the film quite humorous at times, exciting and emotionally intense. The conclusion is left open to interpretation--but you'll have to watch the film quite carefully to have the data you need to make your own interpretation! Highly recommended!