Falscher Bekenner (2005)

Director:

Christoph Hochhäusler

Writer:

Christoph Hochhäusler

Release Date:

6 April 2006 (Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The story of a young man confessing crimes he has not committed.

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Constantin von Jascheroff	...	Armin Steeb
Manfred Zapatka	...	Martin Steeb
Victoria Trauttmansdorff	...	Marianne Steeb
Nora von Waldstätten	...	Katja Fichtner
Devid Striesow	...	Martin Steeb jr.
Florian Panzner	...	Stefan Steeb
Thomas Dannemann	...	Herr Kleine
Laura Tonke	...	Christiane Steeb
Dennis Prinz	...	Ulrich Wendt
Martin Kiefer	...	Richard Gassner
Walter Gontermann	...	Herr Hülsmann
Jörg Pose	...	Herr Esken
Thomas Meinhardt	...	Ernst Matuschek
Wieslawa Wesolowska	...	Josy Matuscheck
Max Limper	...	Lederboy
Klaus Zmorek	...	Gangleader
Jürgen Haug	...	Herr Tschenko
Gisela Marx	...	Großmutter Steeb (as Gisela E. Marx)
Meinhard Leuchtenberg	...	Polizist #1
Markus Ritter	...	Polizist #2
Andreas Schindlmayr	...	Polizist #3
Meike To Baben	...	Polizist #4
Daniela Luppus	...	Polizist #5
Luana Bellinghausen	...	Katjas Freundin #1
Diane Willems	...	Katjas Freundin #2 (as Diane Siemons-Willems)
Doris Plenert	...	Frau im Bus #1
Elisabeth Jansen	...	Frau im Bus #2
Matthias Drescher	...	Herr Siloy
Helga Perr	...	Frau Gassner
Peter Bock	...	Mann im Krankenhaus
Wojtek Bobrycki	...	Tennistrainer
Norbert Wilms	...	Werner Heilmann
Bernd Döpke	...	Motorradfahrer #1
Armin Heller	...	Motorradfahrer #2
Alexander Kirmse	...	Motorradfahrer #3
Ingo Maassen	...	Motorradfahrer #4
Christof Neumann	...	Motorradfahrer #5
Mark Norris	...	Police
Danilo Mancinelli	...	Police

Directed by
Christoph Hochhäusler

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Christoph Hochhäusler

Produced by
Bettina Brokemper	....	producer

Original Music by
Benedikt Schiefer

Cinematography by
Bernhard Keller

Film Editing by
Stefan Stabenow

Casting by
Ulrike Müller

Production Design by
Beatrice Schultz

Costume Design by
Susanne Sasserath

Makeup Department
Evelyn Book	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Sascha Verhey	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Friedemann Roll	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Jochen Engelke	....	sound re-recording mixer
Wolfgang Herold	....	sound supervisor
Manuel Karakas	....	mix editor
Yumiko Konomi	....	sound editor
Wolfgang Vogl	....	sound
Max Wanko	....	supervising sound editor

Visual Effects by
Florian Alt	....	digital artist
Michael Brink	....	visual effects producer
Joerg Bruemmer	....	digital compositor
Joerg Bruemmer	....	visual effects coordinator
Philipp Eckel	....	digital artist
Ute Engel	....	digital artist
Martina Kiechle	....	colorist
Sebastian Locker	....	digital artist
Bernd Schulze	....	visual effects supervisor
Gerhard Spring	....	scanning and recording
Ralf Wacker	....	visual effects coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Philipp Schmitz	....	gaffer

Other crew
Henner Berning	....	production assistant
Stefan Ciupek	....	high definition consultant

Thanks
Michael Schmid-Ospach	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen
• Heimatfilm
• Zentropa Entertainments

Distributors

• Bir Film (2006) (Turkey) (all media) (limited)
• TLA Releasing (2006) (USA) (video)
• Videorama (2007) (Greece) (all media)

Other Companies

• Herold Studios  sound post-production

Also Known As:

"I Am Guilty" - USA (DVD title)
"Low Profile" - USA (festival title)

Runtime:

Germany:90 min | Germany:94 min (Max-Ophüls-Festival)

Country:

Germany | Denmark

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:18 (Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival) | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Krefeld, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany

Company:

Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen

Trivia:

Of the film, the director has said, "The cloak of intent - however ridiculous - is lighter to bear than the 'meaningless' unhappiness of the world."

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars (1977)

Soundtrack:

Universal Pussy

Odd Yet Interesting

I watched this last night at the Houston International Film Festival, also know as World Fest. I thought it was a bit strange, though I liked it. The German title, literally translated into English means False Confessor, and I find it upsetting that the title was changed for American audiences. The story line seemed flat and I had trouble distinguishing reality from dreams. I speak a tiny bit of German, not very much, but I could tell that the subtitles were a bit off. For example, in English we say things a certain way, and people know what we mean. In German, they say things and everyone knows what they mean, but when translated into English, it confuses us, because their common phrases differ from ours in their word choice. I think that it might have been better if the subtitles were translated literally, with the verbs put in the order of an English sentence, of course. Sometimes they would say one word, and the subtitles read the societal equivalent instead of the actually literal definition, which might have helped improve the story a little. I have to admit though, I found myself very confused during parts. I expected this to be an average foreign film, but it turned out to be an artsy, abstract foreign film. It was a good movie though. I have no problem with abstract movies, except for the fact that I have trouble telling what they really mean. I did actually get something out of this movie though and I could tell what, at least part of it's, underlying meaning was. It's about how dull things are, we leave school, we apply for jobs, they're all the same, everyone does the same thing, and we live out our existence in a dull, tired world of repetition. I could also interpret it as a young person, dulled with life, not wanting to conform to the dull existence that society forces us to fit. It is as if Armin is bored, he's tired of his dull life in the suburbs and is forced to pretend he committed crimes, and eventually more, to fill the void he has, the need for excitement and thrills. Interesting movie. I will say this though, I did see some symbolism in the mask scene.