3096 Tage (2013)

A young Austrian girl is kidnapped and held in captivity for eight years. Based on the factual case of Natascha Kampusch.

Director:

Sherry Hormann

Writers:

Ruth Toma (screenplay), Bernd Eichinger (unfinished screenplay)

Stars:

Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Thure Lindhardt, Amelia Pidgeon

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Antonia Campbell-Hughes	...	Natascha Kampusch
Thure Lindhardt	...	Wolfgang Priklopil
Amelia Pidgeon	...	Young Natascha
Trine Dyrholm	...	Natascha's Mother
Dearbhla Molloy	...	Wolfgang's Mother
Roeland Wiesnekker	...	Natascha's Father
Ellen Schwiers	...	Natascha's Grandmother
Erni Mangold	...	Wolfgang's Grandmother
Sebastian Weber	...	Ernst Holzapfel
Tina Grawe
Angelina Noa	...	Russian Woman
Nicholas Reinke
Thomas Loibl
Henry Schindler
Michael A. Grimm	...	Policeman

Storyline

Based on real life events. 10 years old Austrian girl, Natascha Kampusch was kidnapped on March 03, 1998, on her way to school. She spent 8 and a half years under strict captivity by her kidnapper, and managed to survive one of the cruelest experiences a child should never have.

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Plot Keywords:

kidnapping | based on real events | psychological torture | survivor | violence against a woman | 

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Taglines:

Die wahre Geschichte der Natascha Kampusch (The true story of Natascha Kampusch)

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Antonia Campbell-Hughes lost 29Kg to play the role of Natascha Kampusch. Campbell-Hughes told the Evening Standard, that "There was an understanding from the beginning that I would suffer as much as she did." The actress told that she kept a photo of Lara Flynn Boyle circa 1998 on her fridge.

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Goofs

(at around 1h 20 mins) Priklopil's arm is around Natascha's back, the next scene his arm is right next to Natascha's arm and they're both with their backs on the wall.

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Quotes

Natascha Kampusch: Why did you pick me?
Wolfgang Priklopil: I've seen your smile.

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Connections

Featured in Natascha Kampusch - Ein Schicksal im Rampenlicht (2013)

User Reviews

Underwhelming if you have read the book

I had tracked the progress of this film from its initial stages after the release of the book to the ridiculous speculative casting; Kate Winslet and Scarlett Johansson, two actresses known for being voluptuous playing an emaciated young woman from about preadolescence to young adulthood? Yeah, right! No wonder the film took ages to get going. Unfortunately, it was also delayed because the initial director (Bernd Eichinger) passed away. Hoffman later took over the realms with Eichinger still listed as writer. This type of story was not suitable for maudlin Hollywood Oscar bait treatment and fortunately it didn't go there. It's probably a good thing it was an independent film with obscure indie actors which would help detract the potential glamorization of such a sad sad story.

If you have read the book this film is based on, I would be surprised if you found the film equally insightful. It isn't. The film in spite of its natural limitations of time does not do enough to absorb Natascha's harrowing story. You're pretty much getting a clear-cut version of her ordeal but that's not surprising with most adaptations of real life stories, especially ones that have an important chronology as hers did. This monster robbed her of her youth, and you can't really translate that when you have a grown woman of 30 playing the young teenage version of her.

Having said that, the acting was okay - nothing special. Hughes, to me at age 29-30 does look convincing as a younger person, not sure enough to pass for a young teenager but you will just have to suspend any disbelief. The set and locations I think are relatively well done. There are some scenes that were as I imagined them to be reading the book. The story does stretch the truth more than what Natascha herself was willing to reveal in her book but has implied outside of the book later on. The relationship between kidnapper and captive is very complex - probably not understandable to most people, thankfully. This movie does a predictably mediocre, yet mildly engaging way of portraying this type of relationship.

To be honest, if I just watched the film without actual knowledge of the real-life events that occurred, I would have given it a lower score, but because of my personal interest in Natascha's story, I can't help but say I was interested in the film - to see a visual albeit fictitious representation of what "happened".

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 February 2013 (Germany)

Also Known As:

3096 Tage

Filming Locations:

Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,677,474

Company Credits

Production Co:

Constantin Film, ARD Degeto Film, Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1