Refugee Francis was washed away on a beach of Southern Europe and this twice-born young man decides to lead an honest and respectable life. At first, he is able to resist some tempting but illegal offers to make quick money. But soon he gets carried away by the pressure from his friends and finds himself in a world full of violence, outcasts – but also hope. This modern take on Alfred Döblin’s famous novel, previously filmed by R. W. Fassbinder, offers an intoxicating audio-visual ride as well as authentic insight into invisible corners of a pulsing city.

Burhan Qurbani

An offspring of Afghan immigrants got to directing films after years of working at theatres in Hannover and Stuttgart. In 2010 he made a successful film debut Shahada, which competed at Berlinale's main competition just like Berlin Alexanderplatz. This film won a European Film Award for Best Music, and it had two other nominations. Qurbani has been pursuing the issue of integration and social problems of the Muslim minority.