Warheads

Romuald Karmakar’s documentary film is a portrait of both a German ex-Foreign Legionaire and an English mercenary. The 53 year old Günter Aschenbrenner was trained in the French Foreign Legion, where he set up rocket bases in Libya and in Congo as well as later becoming himself a trainer for the Foreign Legion in Guyana. He speaks openly, in great detail and not without some pride about his fighting experience in Africa. The younger British mercenary Karl on the other hand talks about the daily grind of war in disintegrated Yugoslavia – nervous, run down both psychologically and physically, he is unable to endure his daily life without drugs. Avoiding unduly overt commentary, the film montage brings out connections as well as reveals, highlighting the different perspectives regarding the handicraft of war.