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Der Lebensversicherer

Deutschland 2005/2006 Spielfilm

Running On Empty

He knew it would take a long time – but this long? Insurance salesman Burkhard Wagner left his family promising them a better life on his return. All he has to do is sell enough policies. But time drags on and Burkhard turns into the Flying Dutchman of Germany’s motorways. His contact with his family now boils down to him leaving the odd report on the answering machine. Nevertheless, Burkhard sticks resolutely to his plan. But then, shortly before he has sold all his policies, he runs out of steam – mentally and spiritually.

 


He meets luckless Carolin at a motorway service station. Business at Carolin’s small hotel by the motorway has been in the doldrums for years but here, after years of restless perigrinating, Burkhard at last finds a bit of peace and happiness. The pair share a love of French chansons and are both lonely – in spite of being together.

But somebody like Burkhard isn’t the type who sticks around. Carolin seems to realise this more than anyone. And this is why she accompanies him, like a guardian angel, on his last and most difficult journey – back to real life.

Source: 56. Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (catalogue)

Credits

Director

  • Bülent Akinci

Screenplay

  • Bülent Akinci

Director of photography

  • Henner Besuch

Editing

  • Inge Schneider
  • Inge Baz

Music

  • Wim Mertens

Cast

  • Jens Harzer
    Burkhard Wagner
  • Marina Galic
    Carolin Wagner
  • Anna Maria Mühe
    Heike
  • Christian Blümel
    Charlie
  • Mehdi Nebbou
    Rachid
  • Tom Jahn
    Walter Rösler
  • Eva Mannschott
    Frau Hufschmidt
  • Oliver Marlo
    Herr Hauser
  • Birgit Funke
    Busfahrerin
  • Patrizia Moresco
    Frau Wokalek

Production company

  • Razor Film Produktion GmbH (Berlin)

Producer

  • Roman Paul
  • Gerhard Meixner

Alle Credits

Director

  • Bülent Akinci

Assistant director

  • Franca Drewes

Script supervisor

  • Manfred Behrndt (Continuity)

Screenplay

  • Bülent Akinci

Director of photography

  • Henner Besuch

Assistant camera

  • Teja Schwede

Steadycam operator

  • Matthias Biber

Optical effects

  • Matthias Albrecht (Digitaler Filmschnitt)

Lighting design

  • Martin Grothe

Key grip

  • Branco Schlicht

Set design

  • Benedikt Lange (Szenenbild)

Title

  • Ollie Peters (Titeldesign)
  • Sven Zuege (Titeldesign)

Make-up artist

  • Iris Jäger

Costume design

  • Dagmar Fabisch

Editing

  • Inge Schneider
  • Inge Baz

Assistant editor

  • André Nier

Sound editor

  • Daniel Iribarren
  • Fabian Schmidt

Sound

  • Patrick Veigel

Sound assistant

  • Hans-Jörg Bramm

Casting

  • Tina Böckenhauer

Music

  • Wim Mertens

Cast

  • Jens Harzer
    Burkhard Wagner
  • Marina Galic
    Carolin Wagner
  • Anna Maria Mühe
    Heike
  • Christian Blümel
    Charlie
  • Mehdi Nebbou
    Rachid
  • Tom Jahn
    Walter Rösler
  • Eva Mannschott
    Frau Hufschmidt
  • Oliver Marlo
    Herr Hauser
  • Birgit Funke
    Busfahrerin
  • Patrizia Moresco
    Frau Wokalek
  • Hussi Kutlucan
    Herr Wokalek
  • Daniel Jeroma
    Autowäscher
  • Lukas Weerts
    Philippe
  • Irina Potapenko
    Larissa
  • Susanne Menner
    Gast

Production company

  • Razor Film Produktion GmbH (Berlin)

in co-production with

  • Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) (Mainz)
  • Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin GmbH (dffb) (Berlin)

in association with

  • H & V Entertainment GmbH (München-Geiselgasteig)

Producer

  • Roman Paul
  • Gerhard Meixner

Producer (TV)

  • Claudia Tronnier

Line producer

  • Gerhard Meixner

Unit production manager

  • Kathrin Isberner
  • Eva Weerts

Location manager

  • Ron Schuster

Original distributor

  • Zorro Filmverleih GmbH (München-Geiselgasteig)

Funding

  • Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH (MBB) (Potsdam)
  • Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA) (Berlin)

Shoot

    • 12.04.2005 - 30.05.2005: Berlin und Umgebung
Duration:
95 min
Format:
Super16mm -Blow-Up 35mm, 1:1,85
Video/Audio:
Farbe, Dolby Digital
Censorship/Age rating:

FSK-Prüfung: 17.11.2006, 108179, ab 12 Jahre / feiertagsfrei

Screening:

Uraufführung: 14.02.2006, Berlin, IFF - Perspektive Deutsches Kino;
Kinostart (DE): 07.12.2006;
TV-Erstsendung: 09.07.2007, ZDF

Titles

Additional titles
  • Originaltitel (DE) Der Lebensversicherer

Versions

Original

Duration:
95 min
Format:
Super16mm -Blow-Up 35mm, 1:1,85
Video/Audio:
Farbe, Dolby Digital
Censorship/Age rating:

FSK-Prüfung: 17.11.2006, 108179, ab 12 Jahre / feiertagsfrei

Screening:

Uraufführung: 14.02.2006, Berlin, IFF - Perspektive Deutsches Kino;
Kinostart (DE): 07.12.2006;
TV-Erstsendung: 09.07.2007, ZDF

Awards

IFF Moskau 2006
  • Diplom der russischen Gilde für Filmkritik MFFI
  • Silberner St. Georg, Bester Darsteller
IFF Berlin 2006
  • Dialogue en Perspective
Source-URL: https://www.filmportal.de/en/movie/der-lebensversicherer_0aab56ec25b7efc9e04053d50b37596c