From left: Director Giacomo Abbruzzese, actress Laetitia Ky and actor Franz Rogowski Photo: picture alliance
By Sebastian Bauer
In his debut, Italian Giacomo Abbruzzese cast German actor Franz Rogowski.
THE STORY: The young Belarusian Aleksei (Franz Rogowski) immigrates to France illegally and joins the Foreign Legion. The troops are soon transferred to the Niger Delta, where guerrilla fighter Jomo (Morr Ndiaye) is waging a war for self-determination and against economic exploitation. Back in Paris, Aleksei cannot forget what he experienced. A mysterious beauty with a golden pupil (Laetitia Ky) seems to have been stalking him since Nigeria.
The Italian Giacomo Abbruzzese was invited to the Berlinale’s talent program in 2012. Disco Boy is his feature film debut.
THE STAR: The German actor Franz Rogowski (“Transit”) is a permanent guest at the Berlinale.
BG RATING: The pictures alone of smoking factory chimneys above the misty jungle or of exuberant dances in the dim twilight are wonderful. In addition, the story of two men who fight for their own destiny in completely different but nevertheless similar places in the world is fascinating.
BEAR CHANCE: Perhaps the first serious favorite in the competition. Rogowski and Laetitia Ky can also calculate chances.
EVENTS: 20.2. 7 p.m. Verti, 9 p.m. UCI Luxe Grop., 22.2. 10 a.m. Verti, 12.30 p.m. Zoo, 26.2. 7.30 p.m