The Protector

Jan Schäfer is a personal security officer at the BKA. Fiona Weibel, the key witness currently under Schäfer’s protection, has to testify before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg. Particularly delicate: Fiona works in the management of a Swiss shipping company and is said to be using insider knowledge to heavily incriminate her own employer. The shipping company is accused of illegally transporting toxic substances, disguised as fertilizers, to Syria, where they are used to produce toxic gas. To keep Fiona safe until the trial, Schäfer and his colleague Yannick take her into their custody. But as soon as they pick up the witness at the airport, they realize they are being followed. Through a clever diversionary maneuver, they manage to escape the pursuers. But is that enough to get Fiona to safety? The trio threatens to be discovered and the operation exposed. Is the witness playing a double game? Or is there even a leak in the ranks of their own colleagues?

Directed by Philipp Osthus, The Protector leans on a strong ensemble — Tobias Oertel, Marlene Tanczik, Slavko Popadic — 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 2021.