The psychological religious thriller about a family man of Iranian descent (Zejhun Demirov) who wants to get an assurance from a professor of Islamic studies (Ulrich Tukur) that the Quran allows the killing of third parties under certain circumstances had its Berlin and theatrical premiere in front of a sold-out house at the traditional Berlin cinema Babylon. In addition to the cast and crew, numerous representatives from the film industry were among the guests, including members of the German Film Academy. The premiere event was also the official members’ screening of the German Film Academy for the nomination process for the German Film Awards 2025.
In addition to the director, co-producer and co-author, Jurijs Saule, cameraman Arsenji Gusev, Martin lead actor Zejhun Demirov and Alissia Krupsky, who plays Martin’s daughter Janetta in the film, answered questions from the very interested audience and the moderator of the evening, film director and actress Monika Anna Wojtyllo. Jūrijs Saule provided insights into the creation of the work and the motivation and attitude of the characters. The aim of the film, according to Saule, is to build bridges and promote understanding and communication between religions, and to do so in a way that invites a younger audience, shaped by social media, to join the discourse. Arsenji Gusev provided insights into the image design and the work with the camera, which always follows the action like an observer, commenting and counterpointing.
“Martin reads the Quran” had its international and world premiere at the International Film Festival Moscow 2024 and its German premiere at the International Hofer Filmtage 2024. The film is distributed by UCM.ONE in German-speaking countries and will be released in selected cinemas in Germany on November 7, 2024.
The film “Martin reads the Quran” was directed by Latvian filmmaker Jurijs Saule. The script, written by Jurijs Saule together with Michail Lurje, won the German Screenplay Award in 2022. It avoids simple explanations and instead invites a deep reflection on integration, religion and the value of dialogue. The dialogues between Martin and Professor Neuweiser offer impressive insights into cultural tensions and the challenges people face in a multicultural society.
More information about the movie: Martin reads the Quran
More information about the film label: Artkeim²
