The Berlinale has now confirmed a second Competition entry from Germany: director Fatih Akin will present the world premiere of his latest film Gegen die Wand (Against the Wall).

With his new film, the director – who was born in Hamburg and still lives there – returns to his filmmaking roots and depicts the world of second generation Turkish immigrants.

In Gegen die Wand, Akin follows his young protagonist as she desperately attempts to escape from the constraints of her culture. After attempting suicide, Sibel meets Cahit, who is also of Turkish descent. She comes to see a fictitious marriage as an opportunity to get away from her strongly religious family. Cahit agrees to her scheme, so from then on they share a flat – though little more. Or at least to begin with. The film stars Sibel Kekilli, Birol Ünel and Catrin Striebeck.

30-year-old Fatih Akin made his debut in 1995 with Sensin – Du bist es! (Sensin… You’re the One! ), which he directed while still studying at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Hamburg. After Kurz und Schmerzlos (Short Sharp Shock), Im Juli (In July) and Solino, Gegen die Wand is his fourth feature film. Fatih Akin was a member of the Berlinale’s International Jury in 2000.