19-year-old NVA soldier, Alex Karow, is sent to the West German-East German border in May 1974, shortly after Willy Brandt's resignation and during the World Cup. The army is dominated by brutal rituals, tolerated or used by the officers. Alex understands that the ideals of balance, democracy and human dignity are propaganda. The question of what happens when the other appears in the sights of the Kalashnikov occupies the soldiers day and night, interrupted almost exclusively by the games of the World Cup with the historic encounter between the GDR and the FRG. Alex draws strength from his love for Christine, a confident tractor driver who lives in the neighbouring village. Christine encourages him not to do what his father expects, but to follow his dream of becoming a photographer. But when her brother sends Alex's photo from the border fortifications to the West, everything gets out of control...
Jacob Matschenz
as Alexander Karow
Bernadette Heerwagen
as Christine
Max Riemelt
as Gefreiter Kerner
Florian Panzner
as Gefreiter Gappa
Corinna Harfouch
as Frau Dobbs
Jürgen Heinrich
as Hauptmann Dobbs
Dirk Borchardt
as Hauptfeldwebel Kramm
Frederick Lau
as Knut
Adrian Topol
as Stalin
Jutta Hoffmann
as Großmutter
Burghart Klaußner
as Prof.Karow
Axel Buchholz
as Offizier
