The young Friedrich Schiller begins his life as a poet with a dramatic escape. After the sensational success of his first drama "The Robbers", he deserts from the Duke's army. At the Mannheim Court and National Theatre, he initially receives a friendly reception, but his new play "Fiesko" is not well received by the artistic director Dalberg. In the successful actor and author August Wilhelm Iffland, Schiller finds a strong competitor for the position of in-house playwright and vies with him for the love of the same woman. The young poet's situation becomes increasingly precarious; he has no money, suffers from hunger and falls seriously ill. Nevertheless, he works feverishly for recognition and success with no regard for his own health.
Matthias Schweighöfer
as Friedrich Schiller
Teresa Weißbach
as Katharina Baumann
Robert Dölle
as August Wilhelm Iffland
Jürgen Tarrach
as Wolfgang von Dalberg
Christian Näthe
as Andreas Streicher
Barbara Auer
as Caroline Wiethoeft
Ulrich Noethen
as Buchhändler Schwan
Martin Feifel
as Beck
Nikolaus Paryla
as Tänzer
Catrin Striebeck
as Frau Toscani
Florian Stetter
as Scharffenstein
Michael Hanemann
as Caspar Schiller
