In the Shadows
2010 | 85 min | Crime
In part 1 of Thomas Arslan's Trojan trilogy, the eponymous protagonist Trojan wants to do one last big thing and retire.
Thomas Arslan
ActorDirectorThomas Arslan is a German film director known for his work in independent cinema. With his precise and empathetic directing, he has established himself primarily as an important representative of the Berlin School, a movement in German cinema known for its realistic and restrained narrative style. He has received widespread critical acclaim for his films such as DEALER (1999), IN THE SHADOW (2010) and “Gold” (2013).
Arslan is known for his minimalist narrative style and exploration of complex characters. His works are characterized by long shots, reduced dialogues and a strong focus on everyday realities. He succeeds in creating a haunting depth even in the most inconspicuous of moments. In IN THE SHADOW, he brought a breath of fresh air to the genre with his interpretation of a cool, distant gangster film, proving his versatility as a director.
Even though he has not won any major awards, his films have been regularly shown at international film festivals. In particular, the Berlinale, the Toronto International Film Festival and the Locarno Festival have repeatedly provided a stage for Arslan's films. Critics appreciate his works for their nuanced narratives and visual aesthetics, which are often supported by precise image design and sparing but effective music selection. Thomas Arslan remains an influential filmmaker who continues to make his mark on German and international independent cinema with his consistent style and unpretentious narrative approach.
Films
Vacation
2007 | 92 min | Drama
Jealousy and biting jokes about old wounds start slowly, but build until bald-face confessions and hand-to-hand scuffles take over.
Turn Down The Music
1994 | 84 min | Drama
In his debut film Thomas Arslan portrays a group of young people in a decisive phase of upheaval: the last days right before their school year end.
From Far Away
2006 | 90 min | Documentary
A personal travelogue by Berlin-based director Thomas Arslan about a journey through Turkey.
A Fine Day
2001 | 74 min | Drama
Deniz, 21 works as a dubbing artist and has just ended her relationship with Jan. In one short day, she goes through a separation and a new beginning.
Dealer
1999 | 72 min | Crime
Life is governed by strict laws. If you don't want to fall out of favor with your backers as a dealer, you can't be seen with plainclothes cops.
Siblings - Kardeşler
1997 | 82 min | Drama
The first part of Thomas Arslan's "Berlin Trilogy", which shows young people with a Turkish migration history from their own perspective.
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From Far Away
2006 | 90 min | Documentary
Arslan, who spent parts of his childhood in the areas he visits, returned to Turkey for the first time after 20 years of life in Europe. His travels lead via Istanbul and Ankara to the southeast of the country to Gaziantep, from there further east via Diyarbakir and Van to Dogubayazit near the Iranian border. "FROM FAR AWAY is unpretentious and straightforward, and the best documentary in a long time." (Critic)
Vacation
2007 | 92 min | Drama
Four generations meet at a country house. Scenes of veiled jealousy and open teasing, candid confessions and fisticuffs, crack the thin veneer of an idyllic summer vacation. "I wanted to make a film without flashy dramaturgical momentum. I was concerned with finding a balance between the individual storylines and setting them in motion over the course of the film. All the characters who are struggling have only one life. They're all trying to be happy, but they don't know how to do it. It's a long, ...
I Was a Swiss Banker
2007 | 75 min | Romance
A man known only as a banker moves along the river Limmat in Zurich, drifting through the city and encountering a series of women. Each meeting takes on a different tone — sometimes seductive, sometimes enigmatic — gradually dissolving any clear distinction between reality, memory and imagination. As the journey unfolds, the encounters begin to feel less like chance meetings and more like fragments of a larger, elusive narrative. The river becomes a space of transition, where identities shift and ...
A Fine Day
2001 | 74 min | Drama
DER SCHÖNE TAG is the third part of Thomas Arslan's "Berlin Trilogy," which includes the films GESCHWISTER - KARDEŞLER (1997) and DEALER (1998). "In THE BEAUTIFUL DAY, the character of Deniz may not be representative of an entire population group in its entirety, but in one respect she certainly stands for the experiences of many others her age: She has something else to do besides constantly obsessing about her identity. It was important to me not to define her in terms of what is supposedly ...
Marseille
2004 | 91 min | Drama
Sophie flees to Marseille. She roams the streets alone, taking photographs. As she abandons herself to the city, she finds it impossible to reconcile her previous life with the now... Slowly, characters emerge and weave themselves into the story - then a cut follows - and Sophie is back in Berlin. "All my films are based on the idea that much of life is inscrutable, full of misunderstandings and left to chance. The characters live in contradiction to being at the mercy of chance, and are more or ...
The Dreamed Path
2017 | 87 min | Drama
Greece 1984: Kenneth, an English musician, and Theres, a young German woman, sing on the street to finance their vacation. They love each other. When Kenneth receives the news that his mother has died in an accident, he hastily travels home, leaving Theres behind. Thirty years later, in Berlin. Ariane, now a 40-year-old television actress, breaks away from her husband. The man moves into an apartment at the main train station. From his window, he sees a homeless person. It is Kenneth, who does not ...
Was ich von ihr weiss
2006 | 92 min | Crime
Professional pick-pocketing, love, hate and rebellion merge in a volatile tale of crime and mother-daughter love by Maren-Kea Freese (ZOE). Shot in unassuming locales in Essen this gritty thriller boasts excellent performances by the leads Julia Richter and Alice Dwyer. When Kati's grandma dies, her mother Iris (Julia Richter) reappears on the scene after a long absence. Iris is barely twice as old as her 16-year-old daughter (Alice Dwyer) and leads an unsettled life – not as a glamorous fashion ...
9 Lives
2011 | 106 min | Documentary
9 LIVES portrays the fate of young people who decided at the age of 11, 12 or 13 to leave home and to live on the streets. Any of these young people could have lived nine lives by now and they have been battered, both mentally and physically. But despite this, they have an enormous ability to find their own strengths, gifts and talents. This wealth of personal possibility is the focus of the film. "I was surprised at how many of them didn't fit the stereotypes that are easily associated with homeless ...
Afternoon
2007 | 95 min | Drama
Konstantin is an unsuccessful writer, his mother is a narcissistic actress, his uncle is dying and shows no interest in his surroundings. The web of relationships between them, marked by speechlessness and inspired by Chekhov's "The Seagull," gradually unravels until blood ultimately flows. "Angela Schanelec is an auteur filmmaker par excellence, a filmmaker who likes to deliberately subvert audience expectations and subjects her works almost exclusively to rules she has set herself. Afternoon ...
For The Time Being
2018 | 44 min | Drama
In Daniela Lucato's latest film, the protagonist Roman is plagued by addiction and money problems. An encounter, however, makes him question his the way he has lived his life. After a long and conflict-ridden marriage, Roman finds himself alone. To face his financial problems he decides to sublet one room in his house. Mel is the first person to answer Roman's ad. When Mel moves in, Roman is confronted with by Mel's challenging questions. Roman needs to understand what is happening inside himself, ...