Who is the man with the polished bald head and the distinctive little mustache? A Prussian disciplinarian or a Hitler impersonator? One of the key prosecutors in the young Federal Republic? Or one of the quirkiest supporting actors in German cinema? The answer is, yes!

Dietrich Kuhlbrodt, born in 1932, is a retiree in the Hamburg district of Blankenese. He is alert, combative, sometimes pensive, and consistently witty. Brigitte, with whom he spent 50 years, is unfortunately already gone. But what does that really mean? Her room remains as it was; her spirit still lingers. Even Dietrich’s favorite stuffed animal, Wauwi, has never left and is always by his side.

But how did little Dietrich become the great Kuhlbrodt, the senior prosecutor who pursued the perpetrators of the Third Reich, yet enjoys playing different roles in private? Kuhlbrodt takes us on a breathtaking journey through Germany’s dark post-war history, through all the stuffiness, mediocrity, pettiness, and malice.

Kuhlbrodt had flings with R.W. Fassbinder, wrote a screenplay for Werner Schroeter, directed an episode for Michael Bryntrup’s Jesus epic, but above all, he let loose with Christoph Schlingensief: he played Nazis like Joseph Goebbels or turned former East Germans into sausage. And that’s just a small glimpse!

A paradoxical, colorful life in a sparkling documentary film! A huge goodie bag full of rare film clips – and featuring the jazzy, fluffy soundtrack by Helge Schneider.

Cast

Himself
Dietrich Kuhlbrodt
Nonkonform - Poster 2

Nonconform

Arne Körner

  • Documentary
Production Country / Year
Germany 2024
Language
dt. OF m. engl. UT
Format
DCP, Both, 116min
1.78:1 (16:9), Discrete 5.1
Original Title
Nonkonform

Nominated for:

Granit – Hofer Dokumentarfilmpreis

Director & Crew

Arne Körner 1

Arne Körner

Born in 1986 in Hamburg. Trained as a baker then studied at the HFBK Hamburg, the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and the Rogue Film School. Active as a director, producer and screenwriter.

Filmography

2010 A7 Kurzfilm
Wir machen Photos Kurzfilm
Station Kurzfilm
Die Buchhalter Kurzfilm
2011 Disintegration Kurzfilm
2012 The Guys Kurzfilm
Schurback Kurzfilm
2013 Surrounded Kurzfilm
2014 Vue Pointe Kurzfilm
2015 Blink of an Eye Kurzfilm
The Bicycle Spielfilm 2015
2017 The Lone Fighter Kurzfilm
2018 Le marché d’aligre Kurzfilm
2019 Gasman Spielfilm 2019
2022 Action! Kurzfilm 2022
2024 Nonkonform Dokumentarfilm 2024
Writer
Arne Körner
Director of Photography
Arne Körner
Max Sänger
Elias Müller
Editor
Andrea Schumacher
Production Designer
Keanu Manthey
Costume Designer
Katja Waffenschmied
Sound
Dustin Sam Iwen
Sound Designer
Stephan Konken
Music Composer
Helge Schneider
TV Commissioning Editor
Jörg Schneider
Executive Producer
Arne Körner
Producer
Matthias Greving

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Clubgespraech 06

Clubgespräch #6

On Saturday 26 October at 14:00

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