Berlin school goes genre film - Thomas Arslan's gangster film "In the Shadow"

While Usain Bolt becomes a legend at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin's Olympic Stadium, Small-time gangster Trojan (played by the great Misel Maticevic), comes up with new plans to make ends meet. In doing so, he comes across supporters and opponents. Trojan doesn't shy away from violence either. It happens as it has to in a gangster film.

With great attention to detail, closely observed and cast with fantastic actors (including Karoline Eichhorn and Rainer Bock), the German director Thomas Arslan depicts the life of a criminal in modern Berlin. Although we have rarely seen the capital on the big screen. Cold, distant, without a glimmer of hope!

At the 2010 Berlinale, Arslan, a representative of the Berlin School, presented his first genre film, which proves that even the seemingly passive observations of the Berlin School can be used to tell stories with high tension. A great film that raises hopes that German cinema will rediscover genre films and add new facets that can only be found here in Germany.

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German cinema is famous for its historical depth, expressionist aesthetics, and social-political engagement. It has moved from Expressionism to political reckoning, from New German Cinema's raw realism to contemporary genre experiments. Its legacy lies in both technical innovation and deep explorations of history, morality, and philosophy.

The caper subgenre features the planning and execution of one or more crimes, such as thefts, cons, or kidnappings, by a team of characters, each with specific skills. Caper stories are distinguished by their emphasis on humor, adventure, and the unusual cleverness or audacity of the crime.

Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, and Elliott Gould in Ocean's Eleven (2001)

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

Released from prison, Trojan begins to plan an armored car robbery. But things don't go according to said plan.

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Karoline Eichhorn and Misel Maticevic in Im Schatten (2010)

Im Schatten

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