Bye Bye Germany

by Sam Garbarski

Bye Bye Germany

Synopsis

Frankfurt, 1946. David Bermann (Moritz Bleibtreu) and his Jewish friends have escaped the Nazi regime and are now dreaming of leaving for America. But how will they get the money in these tough post-war times? The smooth-talking businessman focuses on what the Germans now need most: fine bed linens nicely wrapped in amusing stories! The six talented entertainers go from home to home, praising housewives with ashy chutzpah until the flattered ladies have no choice but to buy their irresistible items. Business flourishes and a bright new future can be seen in the horizon. But questions about Bermann‘s past catch up with him. Why does he have two passports? What about his visit to Hitler‘s mountain retreat? Could he have collaborated with the Nazis? The smart and attractive but uncompromising US officer Sara Simon (Antje Traue) refuses to close the interrogation. She wants to get to the heart of Bermann‘s wartime memories. Sara matches his quick wit with iron severity, but it becomes increasingly difficult for her to escape his charm...

Director

With BYE BYE GERMANY, Sam Garbarski continues his successful collaboration with actor Moritz Bleibtreu, who also starred in his 2013 English-language film VIJAY AND I. Garbarski's 2007 feature IRINA PALM was an international hit, distributed in over 40 countries and shown in some 30 festivals after premiering in Berlin competition. Starring Marianne Faithfull, the crowd-pleaser also won prestigious awards, including Italy's David di Donatello (Oscar equivalent) for Best European Film.
Garbarski made his directorial debut with RASHEVSKI'S TANGO, which screened at numerous festivals and won the "Jewish Experience" Award for Best Feature at the 2004 Jerusalem Film Festival. He also directed the French-language feature A DISTANT NEIGHBORHOOD (QUARTIER LOINTAIN), based on Jiro Tanaguchi's popular manga. His early shorts (THE TURKEY, LIFE, DEATH, SOCCER and MERRY CHRISTMAS, RACHID) were big hits at festivals and benefited from a wide TV broadcast.
Born in Germany in 1948, but based in Belgium since the age of 22, Garbarski started his career as a commercials director, having founded the advertising agency Garbarski Euro RSCG. He directed more than 50 commercials, many of them award-winners in international festivals.

FILMOGRAPHY
2017 BYE BYE GERMANY
2013 VIJAY AND I
2010 A DISTANT NEIGHBORHOOD (QUARTIER LOINTAIN)
2007 IRINA PALM
2003 RASHEVSKI'S TANGO (LE TANGO DES RACHEVSKI)

Cast

David - Moritz Bleibtreu
Special Agent Sara Simon - Antje Traue
Fajnbrot - Tim Sey
Holzmann - Mark Ivanir
Fränkel - Anatole Taubman
Verständig - Hans Löw
Szoros - Pál Mácsai
Krautberg - Václav Jakoubek

Crew

director Sam Garbarski
screenplay Michel Bergmann
co-screenwriter Sam Garbarski
based on Michel Bergmann‘s novels "Die Teilacher" & "Machloikes"
cinematographer Virginie Saint-Martin
production designer Véronique Sacrez
editor Peter R. Adam
sound Carlo Thoss
costume designer Nathalie Leborgne
original score Renaud Garcia-Fons
producer Jani Thiltges, Roshanak Behesht Nedjad, Sebastien Delloye

production IGC FILMS, SAMSA FILM, ENTRE CHIEN ET LOUP

Technical Data

format DCP / color / 1.85:1 / 5.1
length 101 min.
language German

Bye Bye Germany
Bye Bye Germany

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