Fack ju Göhte

Fack ju Göhte (intentional misspelling of Fuck you, Goethe) is a 2013 German comedy by Bora Dagtekin. Elyas M'Barek and Karoline Herfurth play the main roles while upcoming actors Max von der Groeben and Jella Haase play the supporting roles. The film was produced by Rat Pack Filmproduktion in coproduction with Constantin Film.

Fack ju Göthe premiered on the 29th of October 2013 in Munich, and was subsequently released in cinemas on the 7th of November 2013.

Plot

Bankrobber Zeki Müller has been released from prison. He needs his money from the robbery in order to pay an outstanding debt. The money had been buried by a friend three months ago at a construction site, where she believed only minor work was being carried out. However, Zeki discovers that the new sports hall to a school, the Goethe-Gesamtschule, has been erected at that site. In order to obtain the money, Zeki applies for the vacant position of a deceased janitor. However, due to a misunderstanding, he is given the position of a teacher.

Lisi Schnabelstedt is a student teacher at the same school. Earlier, she herself was a student of the Goethe-Gesamtschule. Lisi does not impose the necessary authority to manage the students successfully.

When Ingrid Leimbach-Knorr, the previous teacher of notorious class 10b, attempts suicide, the management of the difficult class goes to Lisi Schnabelstedt. In order to obtain the money, Zeki works during the night in the cellar of the school on a tunnel leading to the buried money. He also copies Lisi's report for her teaching assignment which, eventually, becomes known to Lisi. She then blackmails Zeki, allowing her to get her old level seven class back, causing Zeki to assume responsibility over class 10b.

By unconventional methods and Lisi's soft leadership, Zeki gains the respect of the class. Zeki, concerned about Lisi's image amongst the class, leads the class on an excursion to paint graffiti on a train, during which a student paints the title 'Fack ju Göthe'. In addition, he arranges an affair for Lisi's little sister, Laura, with her crush, Danger, as well as Lisi's legal guardianship of Laura. Zeki and Lisi grow closer and fall in love with each other. Zeki finds the money in the tunnel. When Lisi learns about Zeki's past as a criminal, their relationship ends. Zeki wants to start a bank-raid again. A friend of Zeki's is able to convince Lisi that Zeki wants to change his ways for her. A photograph of Lisi whilst she was in her level eight class from a time-capsule had been Zeki's motivation.

Zeki stops the bank-raid when students speak to him and he recognises the train with the 'Fack ju Göthe' graffiti thereon. He sends Lisi a dress and wants to report himself to the school principal. The principal wants to keep him and even hands him a falsified school certificate with a 2.9 mark. At this time, class 10b is ready to follow lessons and learn. The marks in German, previously Es and Fs, have now become As, Bs, and Cs.

Cast

• Elyas M’Barek: Zeki Müller
• Karoline Herfurth: Elisabeth 'Lisi' Schnabelstedt
• Katja Riemann: Gudrun Gerster
• Jana Pallaske: Charlie
• Alwara Höfels: Caro Meyer
• Jella Haase: Chantal Ackermann
• Max von der Groeben: Daniel 'Danger' Becker
• Anna Lena Klenke: Laura Schnabelstedt
• Gizem Emre: Zeynep
• Aram Arami: Burak
• Uschi Glas: Ingrid Leimbach-Knorr
• Margarita Broich: Frau Sieberts
• Farid Bang: Paco
• Christian Näthe: Biology teacher
• Bernd Stegemann: Herr Gundlach
• Erdal Yıldız: Attila
• Laura Osswald: Kindergarten teacher

Production

Casting

The role of Zeki Müller was written by Bora Dagtekin for Elyas M'Barek. M'Barek and Dagtekin had previously worked together on the television series Schulmädchen, Doctor’s Diary, Türkisch für Anfänger and its film adaptation. Producer Lena Schömann praised M'Barek for his 'unbelievable discipline', as the actor had worked five times a week with a personal trainer and lost eight kilograms, months before filming commenced. M'Barek had just trained his upper body for Türkisch für Anfänger.^[1]

The main female role was played by Grimme Award winner Karoline Herfurth, who after Mädchen, Mädchen and its 2004 sequel was only seen rarely in comedies. Schömann gave his reasons for Herfurth's choice, stating that she 'has a fantastic instinct for comedy and timing'.^[1] The role of school principal went to Katja Riemann, who had just made a guest-appearance in the film of the series Türkisch für Anfänger.

A student role was given to Max von der Groeben, who received a 'best young actor' award at the presentation of the 2013 Goldenen Kamera. Jella Haase, who appears as Chantal, had previously been awarded the Studio Hamburg Nachwuchspreis (Studio Hamburg Young Performer's Award) and the Günter-Strack-Fernsehpreis (Günter Strack Television Prize) for best actress.

Filming

Set of the Goethe-Gesamtschule in Unterhaching on the first day of shooting

Filming took place mainly in Munich and Berlin. The Lise-Meitner-Gymnasium in Unterhaching served as the backdrop of the Goethe-Gesamtschule in the film. The school had been used before in films, such as Schule, Die Wolke, and the ZDF television series, Klimawechsel. Filming in Berlin was done, among other places, on the Kurfürstendamm and in an apartment block area in Berlin-Neukölln. Also, the swimming pool scenes were shot in Berlin. The prison scenes were shot in a former GDR prison in Keibelstraße in Berlin.^[1]

Filming commenced on the 28th of April 2013 and lasted for forty-one days.^[1]

Opening

On the 28th of July 2013, four teaser trailers were released, while the official trailer was released on the 10th of October 2013. After that, on the 29th of October 2013, the premiere was held at the Mathäser Cinema in Munich. On the 2nd of November 2013, a one-week tour through Germany and Austria commenced, with Bora Dagtekin, Elyas M’Barek and Karoline Herfurth, before the film was released in German cinemas on the 7th of November 2013. 25 cities were visited in Germany, amongst them Hamburg, Berlin, Karlsruhe, Cologne, Cottbus and Dortmund. Linz, Vienna und Salzburg were visited in Austria.^[2]

Within 17 days, the film was seen by three million people, proving to be the most successful German film of the year in the shortest time.^[3]

Soundtrack

A soundtrack CD was released at the time of the films release. Aside from various songs which were used in the film, the soundtrack also includes parts of the films score by Beckmann and Djorkaeff.

Track list (Soundtrack)

1. 'Cheating' − John Newman
2. 'Fack Ju Göhte Beat' − Djorkaeff
3. 'Error' − Madeline Juno
4. 'Pumpin Blood' − Nonono
5. 'Let Her Go' − Passenger
6. 'Hands Around The World' − Djorkaeff
7. ' Benzin Beat' − Djorkaeff
8. 'Move' − D/R Period
9. 'Brother' − Smashproof
10. 'Ain't No Fun' − Nitro
11. 'Hey Now' − Martin Solveig
12. 'Everybody Talks' − Neon Trees
13. 'Das Ist Pimkie!' − Beckmann
14. 'Dry My Soul' − Amanda Jenssen
15. 'Change Is Gonna Come' − Olly Murs
16. 'What I Go To School For' − Busted
17. 'High Hopes' − Kodaline
18. 'Zeitkapsel' − Beckmann
19. 'Can't Help' − Parachute
20. 'Deep Diving' − Thilo Brandt
21. 'Klassenzimmer Beat' − Djorkaeff
22. 'Laura, Sie Redet Mit Dir!' − Beckmann
23. 'Theater Beat' − Djorkaeff
24. 'Balkan Bachata' − Clea & Kim
25. 'Touch Me (I Want Your Body)' − Samantha Fox
26. 'Cheating' (Remix) − John Newman

Reviews

Entry ticket for the première in Munich

Bora Dagtekins zweite Kinoregiearbeit „Fack ju Göhte“ ist eine frech-witzige Komödie mit Lachern im Minutentakt, einer Prise Gefühl und glänzenden Darstellern – ganz in der Tradition seines Debüts „Türkisch für Anfänger“.
Boro Dagtekin's second theatrical feature 'Fack ju Göthe' is a cheeky and funny comedy with laughter every minute, a pinch of feeling and brilliant actors – entirely in the tradition of his debut 'Türkisch für Anfänger'.

—Filmstarts.de^[4]

Klar gibt es hier und da ein paar Längen, und es scheint auch obligatorisch zu sein, dass ein deutscher Film ohne abschließende Versöhnung und Zusammenführung aller Charaktere nicht funktionieren kann. Doch wenn man bedenkt, wie genüsslich man in den 120 Minuten unterhalten wurde, fällt das nicht so sehr ins Gewicht.
Sure, there are bits which drag on here and there. And it also seems obligatory that a German film without final reconciliation and coming together of all the characters won't work. However, when you consider how well you are entertained during the 120 minutes, that really doesn't matter much.

—MovieMaze.de^[5]

Awards

• 2014: Nomination for the Audience's Prize of the Bayerischen Filmpreis ^[6]
• 2014: Goldene Leinwand^[3]
• 2014: Bogey Award in Platin for 5 million views at the cinema in 50 days^[7]

References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Press material of 'Fack ju Göhte'
2. ↑ Facebook site of 'Fack ju Göhte' with the information about the film tour (German), retrieved 24 October 2013
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 FACK JU GÖHTE knackt die 3 Mio-Besuchermarke asapissimo, retrieved 25 November 2013
4. ↑ Kritik der Filmstarts-Redaktion from Filmstarts.de. Retrieved 22 October 2013
5. ↑ Kritik der MovieMaze-Redaktion from MovieMaze.de. Retrieved 25 October 2013
6. ↑ Wählen Sie ihren Lieblingsfilm 2013, retrieved 1 December 2013
7. ↑ FACK JU GÖHTE: Über 5 Mio. Besucher sehen Deutschlands Lieblingsfilm des Jahres from constantin-film.de, retrieved 11 January 2014

External links

• Official website
• Fack ju Göhte at the Internet Movie Database