Nacht ohne Morgen

At some point, a dead fox lies in the star lawyer's empty swimming pool. Later, much later, the former Attorney General Jasper Dänert lies dead in an empty bed. In between, an entire life comes to an end. Or rather, what was left of it. A powerful drama that tragically paints the biblical story of the prodigal son in the dreary autumn colors of East Germany. Full of guilt, denial, manslaughter - and a lack of atonement, which should have been the responsibility of Brandenburg's highest prosecutor. But when the murder happened, when the young hustler Jimmy was found dead in a rotten tree trunk, he was biased. More than that. He was the perpetrator.

Directed by Andreas Kleinert, Nacht ohne Morgen leans on a strong ensemble — Götz George, Barbara Sukowa, Fritzi Haberlandt — 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 crime titles of 2011.