Der Verdacht

A German energy engineer has been found dead in a burnt-out car off the main road in the African Namib desert. The Namibian police rule out an accident and the victim's wife and business partner Maja Reichardt is suspected to be involved in the death of her husband. She has only two hours to convince the German embassy staff of her innocence. If she fails she will be transferred to the local judiciary facing months of pretrial detention. Unfortunately diplomatic officer Kirsten Buresch who has to take the final decision feels that Maja is suffering from paranoia and therefore might have had a reason to kill her husband.

Directed by Matti Geschonneck, Der Verdacht leans on a strong ensemble — Christiane Paul, Hans-Jochen Wagner, Ina Weisse — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about thriller titles of 2011.