The Experiment = Das Experiment

In his directorial debut Oliver Hirschbiegel brings together a taut drama based on a novel by Mario Giordano (“Black Box”) about a human behaviour experiment. Offered 4000 marks, 20 men are recruited for a two-week experiment where they will role-play either prison inmates or guards. A journalist Tarek (Moritz Bleibtreu, of “Run Lola Run” fame) working mainly as a taxi driver takes part wearing high tech video-recording glasses. Once roles are assigned, uniforms are put on - militaristic ones for the guards and a simple numbered smock for the prisoners - and the rules for the experiment are made clear. Like a ‘Lord of The Flies’ but for adults locked in a cage with similarly shocking results - after only three days things go awry and the corruptible nature of power in the human psyche asserts itself. Dark and industrial setting with hard-rock sound track (‘Linkin Park’ are featured) add to the oppressive and harsh environment in which the story takes place. Cast includes Maren Eggert, Christian Bekel, Justus Von Dohnany and Oliver Stokowski. Bleibtreu won Best Actor for this role at two film festivals.