EXCLUSIVE: Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired Northern American rights for Joachim A. Lang’s historical drama Goebbels and The Führer (aka Führer and Seducer) for a fall 2024 theatrical and digital release.
Beta Cinema, which launched sales on the feature at the EFM and brokered the North America deal, has also posted new deals for France (Condor Entertainment), Hungary (ADS), Bulgaria (Beta Film) and Greece (TFG).
As previously announced, the film has also sold to Spain (A Contracorriente), Scandinavia (Mis Label), Japan (AT Entertainment) and Australia & New Zealand (Moving Story Entertainment). Wild Bunch will release the film in German-speaking territories on July 11.
The drama follows the rise and fall of Joseph Goebbels in the final seven years as Adolf Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda.
While Hitler is at the height of his power, Goebbels is the creator of the pictures of the flag-waving crowds and anti-Semitic films “Jud Süß” and “Der ewige Jude”, priming the German people for the mass murder of the Jews.
The drama follows Goebbel’s descent as he attempts to whip up continued support for the war as the fortunes of Nazi Germany following its defeat at Stalingrad in early 1943, before spending his final days in Hitler’s bunker where he plots the murder of his six children and own suicide with that of his wife.
Summer Storm and Das Boot actor Robert Stadlober stars as Goebbels, opposite Austrian actor Fritz Karl (Sisi) as Hitler, and Franziska Weisz (The Swarm, Stations of the Cross) as wife Magda Goebbels.
Based on the latest historical research, the film deconstructs Goebbels’ propaganda machine and how he created the images, speeches and film sequences that have become part of the frame of reference when discussing the Third Reich and the Shoah.
Director and screenwriter Lang’s credits include the award-winning features Mack The Knife – Brecht’s Threepenny Film (2019) and George (2013). Thomas Weber, author of ‘Becoming Hitler’, acted as consultant on the production.
“As the world has forgotten how Goebbels and Hitler wielded demagoguery, disinformation, and manipulation as weapons to devastating effect, the world no longer understands how to defend democracy and free societies, at a time at which we stand once more at the cross roads. This is why we made the film,“ says Weber.
Goebbels and the Führer is produced by Till Derenbach and Michael Souvignier for Zeitsprung Pictures, the company behind the popular Netflix series Kleo and Oktoberfest: Beer & Blood and multiple award-winning biopic Dear Thomas.
The film is co-produced with Sandra Dujmovic (SWR) – who also advised on the dramaturgy – Maya spol.s.r.o. and Act/HQ.
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