| Barfuss | |
|---|---|
German film poster |
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| Directed by | Til Schweiger |
| Written by | Til Schweiger Jann Preuss Stephen Zotnowski Dina Marie Chapman Nika von Altenstadt |
| Starring | Til Schweiger Johanna Wokalek |
| Release date(s) | 2005 |
| Running time | 118 min. |
| Country | Germany |
| Language | German |
Barfuss (English: Barefoot) is a film by German actor and director Til Schweiger released in 2005. It is a romantic comedy and tells the story of Nick (Til Schweiger), a hedonistic bachelor, who falls for Leila, an escaped mental patient, portrayed by Johanna Wokalek. Til Schweiger was also involved in the writing of the screenplay.
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The life of Nick Keller (Til Schweiger) can hardly be called well sorted. He stumbles from one temporary employment to the next and he has very serious problems with Heinrich, his rich and influential stepfather, as well as with his brother Viktor. Nick’s latest temporary job is as a cleaner in a psychiatric clinic, where he prevents the notorious barefooted patient Leila (Johanna Wokalek) from committing suicide. Leila’s story is also complex. The first nineteen years of her life she had been confined at home by her mother. She has been hospitalized into the clinic after the death of her mother, but is desperate to leave. However mentally Leila is still a child, for example, everything that she is told she takes literally, and she dislikes physical contact with strangers. The unexpected consequence of Nick’s act is that Leila follows her saviour secretly, in her nightdress and once again barefooted, and appears in front of his door at night-time.
As Leila constantly refuses go back to the clinic, she and Nick go on a road trip together in order to attend his brother’s wedding to Nick's ex-girlfriend. During the trip the relationship between the two deepens significantly. However, after serious disputes with his family Nick once again tries to hospitalize Leila. Thereby he has to confess to himself that he has fallen in love with Leila.
Nick is then arrested for attempted kidnapping and Leila is brought back into the clinic. Nick pretends to have mental problems so he too can go into the clinic with Leila, but only after Leila once again attempts suicide does her doctor admit him. The last scene shows them both together shopping in a supermarket, some months later, having both been released from the clinic.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Til Schweiger | Nick Keller |
| Johanna Wokalek | Leila |
| Nadja Tiller | Frau Keller |
| Michael Mendl | Heinrich Keller |
| Steffen Wink | Viktor Keller |
| Alexandra Neldel | Janine |
| Imogen Kogge | Dr. Blöchinger |
| Janine Kunze | Sarah Sommer |
| Stefanie Stappenbeck | Jessica |
| Axel Stein | truck driver |
| Markus Maria Profitlich | car dealer 1 |
| Mark Keller | car dealer 2 |
Despite some critical views, the film was generally well received and was awarded the German Media Award Bambi as the best German movie of 2005.
The title ‘barfuss’ was wrongly spelled "barfuß" in some newspapers, as the former is the correct spelling and the film title a misspelling.
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