Netflix has unveiled upcoming movie about real-life German NGO Jugend Rettet and its ship, the Iuventa, which rescued thousands of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea in 2016 before it was impounded by Italian authorities.
In-demand actor Louis Hofmann – whose credits include Dark, Ripley, Masters of the Air, All The Light We Cannot See, and is soon to be seen in Monstrous Beauty opposite Bella Ramsay – leads the cast.
Netflix have unveiled a first image of the film which is currently shooting in Malta, after kicking off production in Berlin. The film follows in the wake of a number of successful German productions for Netflix including the Oscar-winning All Quiet on the Western Front and Emmy-winning series The Empress.
The movie tells the true story of the creation in 2015 of Jugend Rettet by a group of young Berliners who felt compelled to do something about the thousands of people who were dying in the Mediterranean Sea as they tried to reach Europe via unofficial routes.
Inexperienced but driven by passion and courage, they launch a crowdfunding campaign to buy an old ship, the Iuventa. Its volunteers successfully rescued 14,000 people in 2016, but this work was stalled after the vessel was impounded by Italy in 2017.
Seven of its members then found themselves caught up in a high stakes legal battle with the Italian authorities which tried to paint their humanitarian acts as crimes.
The film is directed by Markus Goller, from a screenplay co-written by Oliver Ziegenbalg in collaboration with Michele Cinque.
Production designer Christian Goldbeck and composer Volker Bertelmann, who won Oscars for their work on All Quiet on the Western Front, are attached to the production, alongside Frankie DeMarco coordinating the cinematography.
Producers are Christopher Zwickler at Flute Film, with Goller and Oliver Ziegenbalg at Sunnysideup Filmproduktion.
Creative producer is Michele Cinque with Lazy Film from Italy. Skadi Lesske and Astrid Weber are in charge of hair and make-up and Mika Braun for the costume design.
Other cast members Mala Emde (And Tomorrow The Entire World), Katharina Stark (Deutsches Haus), Frederick Lau (Crooks), Maria Dragus, Trevor Magaya, Kathy Etoa, Felice, Saibon Wang, Joone Dankou, Merlin von Garnier, Luisa-Céline Gaffron and Omid Memar as well as Corinna Harfouch, Ulrich Matthes, Franka Potente, Katja Riemann, Frank Plasberg, Herbert Knaup and Eleonora Romandini in guest roles.