23

Screenplay: Hans-Christian Schmid, Michael Gutmann
Casting: Nessie Nesslauer
Director of Photography: Klaus Eichhammer
Editing: Hansjörg Weissbrich
Score/ music: Norbert Jürgen Schneider
Production Design: Ingrid Henn
Costume Design: Peri de Braganca
Make-up Artist: Stephanie Hilke
Sound recording: William Franck

Hanover 1986: In a time of increasing confusion and instability, 19-year-old computer hacker Karl Koch sees his world in disorder. Fascinated and inspired by the fictitious rebel Hagbard Celine from the cult novel "Illuminatus!", the sensitive young man embarks upon a search for the underlying reasons of political mechanisms and discovers things that make him believe in a worldwide conspiracy. While the powers of evil are already connected by global networks, Karl and his friends are left behind, frustrated by the slowness of their own home computers. The divisions between day and night dissolve. Dependent on pills and cocaine, Karl loses control over his life, social relationships and reality whilst on his tragic odyssey. The closer the end of his search seems, the harder it becomes to turn back.

August Diehl (Karl Koch), Fabian Busch (David), Dieter Landuris (Pepe), Jan-Gregor Kremp (Lupo), Patrick Joswig (Alex), Peter Fitz (Brückner), Burghart Klaussner (Weber), Lili Tschörtner (Beate), Karin Gregorek (Karls Stiefmutter), Zbiginiew Zachmachowski (Sergej), Stephan Kampwirth (Maiwald), Peter Fitz (Brückner), Lilly Tschörtner (Beate), Brigitte Janner (Frau Seidel), Katrin Klein (Frau Lindner),
Arnulf Schuhmacher (Günther Seybert), Heidi Kriegeskotte (Frau Helldorff), Sven Lehmann (Computerver –
käufer), Regine Zimmermann (Uta)

Awards:
German Film Award in Silver for Best Film 1998
Bavarian Film Award for Best Newcomer Actor to August Diehl
German Film Award for Best Actor to August Diehl 1998
Hypo Bank Directing Award 1998

Festivals:
Munich, Vienna, Locarno, Toronto

Filmförderungsanstalt, Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern