Berlin at the height of the Weimar Republic. Jakob Fabian, a bored thirty-something who makes his living advertising cigarettes, wanders aimlessly through the streets and clubs at night. He is awakened from his lethargy by an ambitious actress who finally makes him feel the desire for life and pleasure. However, his dreams gradually collapse with the onset of Nazism. The lavish audio-visual geyser assaulting the viewer’s perceptions depicts the tragic end of a historic era.

Dominik Graf

The Munich native has been in the film industry for more than four decades. A keen commentator on moral values in German cinema, he has made a name for himself primarily in television production, shooting numerous crime and political dramas. He also writes about film. His new film Fabian, an adaptation of Erich Kästner’s cult novel, premiered in competition at this year’s Berlinale.