The award-winning film “Monolith” is now available on DVD from the Darling Berlin label. It can also be found digitally on all relevant portals. In this existentialist drama, director and writer Julius Schultheiß tells the story of a driven, characterless man who loses control and self-destructs.
Monolith is an “essayistic film noir” (according to director and writer Julius Schultheiß) told through the medium of a police thriller, which takes its audience on an oppressive journey into the inner world of the protagonist. The film succeeds in conveying the protagonist’s seemingly deliberate annihilation of his own existence, a state that is difficult to verbalize or describe, through impressive and powerful images.
Synopsis
Samir is part of a sociable circle of friends. One evening, his friend Basil suddenly leaves the group without warning and does not return. Shortly afterwards, Samir’s night shift begins. He gets into a taxi, and we follow him for 24 hours: it starts with a road trip through Berlin at night, always with one eye on his smartphone, which shows him the way. The next day, while searching for Basil, Samir meets people who make him increasingly aware of his dwindling existence. When he realizes that he can’t go on alone, the mysterious Henry appears and offers him a solution that requires sacrifice.
Julius Schultheiß says about the film: “A loss in my personal life gave me the basic idea to make a very quiet and existentialist film. It was to be a drama, but also contain elements of a crime story. I was taken with the idea of limiting the plot to 24 hours and following a single person without interruption. The character was to be largely free of clearly defined character traits—lost, depressed, and passive, as if he were a spectator of himself. The traits attributed to him are only revealed through others, and even then, it is unclear whether they are accurate.
I hope this creates a lasting sense of uncertainty about the protagonist’s past, desires, and goals.”
Features & technical data
DVD | Picture format: 16:9 – 1.77:1 | Running time: approx. 1 hour and 9 minutes | Sound format: German (Dolby Digital 5.1) | Extras: audio commentary, trailer, music videos | Genre: drama | FSK 12
More information about the movie: Monolith
More information about the film label: Darling Berlin
