Gegen die Wand = Head-on
(DVD)

Originally produced as a German motion picture in 2004.

Special features: Original theatrical trailer (2 min.); Hinter der Wand: Frontbericht eines Praktikanten = Head-on: report of an intern [making-of featurette] (30 min.); Deleted scenes (19 min.); Outtakes (13 min.); Other Strand titles [previews] (7 min.).

Cinematographer, Rainer Klausmann ; editor, Andrew Bird ; music consultant, Klaus Maeck ; musicians include Selim Sesler und Orchester, Idil Üner, Maceo Parker und band, Aytun Ede, and Fanfare Ciocarlia.

Birol Ünel (Cahit), Sibel Kekilli (Sibel), Catrin Striebeck (Maren), Güven Kiraç (Seref), Meltem Cumbul (Selma [cousine]).

Cahit Tomruk is in his forties, a rock 'n' rolling boozer with a purposeless, dead-end job. Sibel Güner desperately wants to escape her conservative Turkish family. Both are German-born Turks equally ill at ease in either culture; seeking a new life, and a morality that will withstand the constant shuttling between codes. They marry--a marriage of convenience. Eventually his nihilism and her promiscuity lead to violence and jail for him, and scandal and possible death for her. She goes into hiding in Istanbul and after he gets out, he goes to Turkey to find her. This dark and vibrant story reflects the unstable moods of Turks in Germany, a half assimilated, half-alien population whose future is a quest and whose passion is ongoing.

MPAA rating: Rated R, for strong graphic sexuality, pervasive language, some brutal violence & drug content.

DVD ; NTSC, region 1 ; Dolby Digital surround ; enhanced for 16x9 television.

In Turkish and German with optional subtitles in English.

Won, Golden Bear and the FIPRESCI Prize: Fatih Akin, Berlin International Film Festival 2004 ; also winner of Outstanding Feature Film: Stefan Schubert Ralph Schwingel; Outstanding Individual Achievement Actor: Birol Ünel; Outstanding Individual Achievement Actress: Sibel Kekilli; Outstanding Individual Achievement Cinematography: Rainer Klausmann; Outstanding Individual Achievement Direction: Fatih Akin, Deutscher Filmpreis 2004.