DER KICK

On the night of 12^th July 2002 two teenage brothers Marco and Marcel Schoenfeld, aided by their friend Sebastian Fink, brutally tortured and, with a fatal kick to the head, executed a 16-year-old boy. Their victim, Marinus Schöberl, a hip hop fan with a tendency to stutter, was known to the perpetrators from their home town of Potzlow, just north of Berlin. When Marinus’ body was found four months later and the three skinheads were charged with his murder, widespread public outrage ensued. The media debated the causes of this horrific crime – racism, social deprivation, binge drinking or the influence of violent films.

Acclaimed filmmaker Andres Veiel's approach to the story of the "skinhead murder" is however a far cry from media sensation and public hysteria. Interviews were conducted with 20 people linked in various ways to the crime. These interviews formed the basis for an experimental stage play in which the monologues of the interviewees are performed by just two actors. There are no pictures of the crime scene, victim or courthouse, but this groundbreaking piece of work nevertheless provides a unique insight into the circumstances surrounding a senseless death.

"On each of my projects, I look for a specific form. In terms of a radical approach I think about the story I want to tell, and whether it will emerge as a documentary or a piece of fiction. As The Kick stands now, it is extremely abstract, very close to theatre. It's a challenge to reconcile documentary elements in an artistic setting. Next time around, I'll be facing another challenge." Andres Veiel

"The Kick packs a wallop." Eddie Cockrell, Variety

See Andres Veiel's film Black Box BRD at BEST.DOKS 2006 and the workshop on both films on Tuesday, 09th May, at HFF