Der letzte Mentsch

As a 15-year-old, Marcus survived several concentration camps, changed his name after liberation, and settled in Germany. From then on, he suppressed his past until it caught up with him again, now over 80 years old. Since he wants to be buried according to Jewish tradition, he needs proof of his identity—the tattooed prisoner number is not enough for the bureaucratic rabbis. So the young German-Turkish woman Gül drives him to his Hungarian village of birth, where no one knows him anymore. Only a blind woman seems to have been expecting him.

Directed by Pierre-Henry Salfati, Der letzte Mentsch leans on a strong ensemble — Mario Adorf, Katharina Derr, Hannelore Elsner — 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 drama titles of 2014.