Rookie Competition

DER RAUBER

AUSTRIA, GERMANY / 2010 / 35mm / 97min / with English & Japanese subtitles / Films Distribution

Story: THE ROBBER is Benjamin Heisenberg sophomore feature film following the successful SLEEPER,and is based on the true story of "Pump-gun Ronnie" which Martin Prinz used as source material for his eponymous novel. The film tells the story of Johann Rettenberger (Andreas Lust) a restless misfit whose anarchistic worldview leads him into an unavoidable conflict with the society which suffocates his free spirit. Heisenberg portrays the robber as a top level athlete an "endorphin-junkie" who is driven by an inexplicable desire to stay in motion. Motivated by the pure beauty of the criminal campaigns he executes, he is both cool and calculated whilst also fast and resourceful in the frenzied intensity of his criminal exploits. Rettenberger's emotional indifference to rehabilitation is shattered the moment Erika steps back into his life during a chance meeting at the job centre. She offers him refuge and a placeto stay, however the dark secrets he hides from her and his probation officer soon overwhelm him. Misguided in his dual search for love and freedom, the authorities finally begin to close in on the robber. Moved by an over-powering inner energy he attempts to flee the largest deployment of police forces in Austria's modern history, but will his wit and athleticism give him the opportunity for one last escape?
THE ROBBER is a thriller about reckless bank robberies, heart-pounding marathons, ill-fated love and dramatic escapes.

Staff: 〈Director〉BENJAMIN HEISENBERG
〈Screenplay〉BENJAMIN HEISENBERG / MARTIN PRINZ
〈Producers〉NIKOLAUS GEYRHALTER / MARKUS GLASER / MICHAEL KITZBERGER / WOLFGANG WIDERHOFER / PETER HEILRATH
〈Director of photography〉REINHOLD VORSCHNEIDER
〈Production companies〉Nikolaus Geyrhalter / Filmproduktio n Gmb H / Peter Heilrath / Filmproduktio n e. K.
〈In collaboration with〉ORF / ARTE
〈Co-produced with〉ZDF / Das Klei ne Fer nsehspiel

Profile: Benjamin Heisenberg is the prize winner for best Newcomer Director in Bavarian Filmprize 2010. He was born in 1974 Tubingen, Germany. After he graduated Academy of fine Arts Munich, he made "Am see"(45min fiction)etc.

Now he is one of the member of Christoph Hochhausler's long movie film.