Krabat

Krabat is Otfried Preußler's masterpiece. Based on an old Sorbian legend from Lusatia, it is the story of an orphan boy who wanders through a cold, snowy world full of war, fear and hunger in the 17th century. He becomes one of twelve apprentices of a miller who has magical powers and can turn people into ravens. Dark secrets open up before Krabat.

After the Czech Karel Zeman adapted the story as a poetic animated film in 1977, this more recent film adaptation takes a different approach. It relies on the eeriness of the location, the exciting, sometimes creepy plot and elaborate trick sequences, but above all on the excellent actors. Among them, David Kross as Krabat and Daniel Brühl as his friend Tonda stand out. In epd-Film, Katrin Hoffmann summarized in October 2008: "Supported by a subtle composition by Niki Reiser and a suggestive score, Kreuzpaintner's adaptation hits the tone of the original very accurately. Preußler's novel is also not for the faint of heart, and the film has made this maxim its own." FSK rating: age 12+ (ps)