In 1910, young Adolf Hitler, aiming to conquer the world as a painter, is on
his way from the provincial recesses of Austria to Vienna. He rents himself a
room at a men’s hostel in the Leichengasse, "Cadaver Alley", and feverishly
awaits the big day of his entrance examination for the Academy of the Fine
Arts. He shares the rundown barrack with two Jewish men: the wily Bible
hawker Shlomo Herzl and the kosher cook Lobkowitz, who claims to be
God and has been known to cause miracles. Wise old Shlomo wants to
write a book, but nobody thinks much of its title "Mein Leben" (My Life).
They come up with "Mein Kampf". Hitler is also enthusiastic about it.

Shlomo, hospitable and good-natured, feels responsible for the impetuous
Hitler and takes him under his wing. For Hitler, who vastly overestimates his
artistic talent, the world falls apart when the Academy rejects him for the
second time. And again it is good old Shlomo who hurries to bring Hitler
back from the depths of his suicidal hopelessness. Hitler brazenly exploits
the support offered by Shlomo, who cooks and washes up for him and
even trims his droopy moustache. In return Hitler tries to seduce young
Gretchen, Shlomo’s girlfriend. Ironically, it is Shlomo himself who recommends
Hitler to try his luck in politics.

The film grotesque "Mein Kampf", based on George Tabori’s eponymous theatrical
farce, is by no means a historical reconstruction of Hitler’s time in
Vienna. Instead it is a timeless parable of good serving evil, in which the
borders between reality and fiction are blurred.

Source: 60. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (Catalogue)