GFQ 2-2007 - german films

Osdorf
The highrise estate Osdorfer Born in west Hamburg is
regarded as something of a social hot spot. Although most
of the boys from Osdorf weren’t even born in Germany,
they feel strongly attached to their neighborhood and
proudly display their ghetto identity. However, the boys
have their doubts – they are aware that it is a strange
world they live in, where a criminal counts more than
someone who goes to school. The film follows these boys,
in their search for answers to the difficult questions of
everyday life – why do they commit crimes? Which other
ways can they see for themselves? Do they have dreams?
In what way do they feel responsible? It is the ambiguity
between the boys’ refreshingly honest reflections and the
gangster clichés they copy that lets their charm unfold.
To gain respect, certain codes have to be adhered to.
Alican and Siar, the film’s protagonists, know the rules of
the Osdorf streets. They worked hard for their reputation,
and they see hardly any alternative to the lives they live
there.
Some of the boys from the group take part in the project
“Prisoners Help Juveniles”. They are deeply impressed
after a visit with inmates of the Fuhlsbuettel correctional
facility, “Santa Fu”. They identify with the felons: the meet -
World Sales (please contact)
Hochschule fuer Film und Fernsehen ’Konrad Wolf’ · Cristina Marx
Marlene-Dietrich-Allee 11 · 14482 Potsdam-Babelsberg/Germany
phone +49-3 31-6 20 25 64 · fax +49-3 31-6 20 25 69
email: distribution@hff-potsdam.de · www.hff-potsdam.de
ing becomes a reflective experience. However, the film
leaves open what consequences this visit may have and
what the boys’ future may bring.
Genre Society, Youth & Immigration Category Documentary
Cinema Year of Production 2007 Director Maja Classen
Screenplay Maja Classen Directors of Photography
Johannes Neumann, Christoph Lemmen Editor Thomas Krause
Music by Nicolas Hoeppner, CC Attack, Adrenalin featuring
Danny Producer Max Springer Production Company
Hochschule fuer Film und Fernsehen ’Konrad Wolf ’/Potsdam-
Babelsberg Length 77 min Format DigiBeta, color, 16:9
Original Version German Subtitled Version English Sound
Technology Dolby Surround Festival Screenings Berlin
2007 (Perspectives German Cinema)
Maja Classen was born in 1974 in Hamburg. Before her studies
at the ’Konrad Wolf ’ Academy of Film & Television from 2000-
2006, she worked as an assistant director and completed a training
course in editing and production in San Francisco and studied
American Studies, Psychology and German Literature in Hamburg.
Her films include: the shorts Nightshot (1999), The Juggler
(2000), Alles soll in Erfuellung gehen (2001), Heimat
(2003), Tancu (2004), and the documentary features Don’t
Forget to Go Home (Feiern, 2006), and Osdorf (2007).
german films quarterly new german films
2 · 2007 59
Scene from “Osdorf ” (photo © Katja Ruge)