King of Thieves (film)
Encyclopedia
King of Thieves is a 2004
movie directed by Ivan Fíla
, starring Lazar Ristovski
, Jakov Kultiasov, Katharina Thalbach
, Paulus Manker
, Birol Ünel
and Werner Daehn
.
. He and his older sister Mimma (Julia Khanverdieva) perform circus
acts for their village. Barbu and Mimma are sold by their parents to Caruso (Lazar Ristovski
), a German circus master to supposedly become part of his circus act in Berlin
.
On their arrival to Germany
, Barbu is taken to the circus, in reality being a training camp of young thieves, and Mimma is sold to Cardinal (Paulus Manker
) for prostitution
in his brothel
. Barbu develops a bond with Caruso and Julie (Katharina Thalbach
), Caruso's wife, and they feel he is the son they never had.
Barbu is trained to pickpocket
by Marcel (Oktay Özdemir
), an older Albanian
boy. Caruso eventually discovers that Marcel is keeping a small amount of the cash that he steals, resulting in having him lashed and then sold.
Now working on his own, Barbu learns that Mimma has been forced into prostitution, and attempts to free her by entering the brothel with a colt pistol left for him by Marcel. Barbu fails and is violently returned to the circus by Cardinal. Caruso denies that he knew Mimma was in Germany, and says it will cost 100,000 euros for her freedom.
Barbu steals all of Caruso's hidden stash of money, and attempts to flee with Mimma by having her escape from the brothel window. He is again unsuccessful and severely punished by Caruso. While being lashed, Julie comes in with a pistol and shoots Curuso in the arm. She then takes Barbu to the brothel where they shoot their way to Mimma's room and rescue her.
Caruso arrives to the brothel as the three are leaving, and fatally shoots Julie. He lets Barbu and Mimma leave, and then returns to the circus and burns down his big top
whilst inside.
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
movie directed by Ivan Fíla
Ivan Fíla
Ivan Fíla, alternate name Ivan Fila, is a Czech film director, screenwriter and producer.- Life and work :Fíla was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia. He moved to Germany in 1977 where he received a directing and scriptwriting degree at the Film Department of the University in Cologne. Fíla shot...
, starring Lazar Ristovski
Lazar Ristovski
Lazar "Laza" Ristovski is a Serbian actor, director, producer and writer. He has appeared on stage about 4000 times, and starred in over 40 films, TV series and TV dramas, mostly in lead roles.-Biography:...
, Jakov Kultiasov, Katharina Thalbach
Katharina Thalbach
Katharina Thalbach is a German actress and film director.- Life and work :Katharina Thalbach comes from a particularly artistic-oriented family. Her father Benno Besson was a director, her mother Sabine Thalbach was an actress. Her late husband Thomas Brasch was an author. Her daughter Anna and...
, Paulus Manker
Paulus Manker
Paulus Manker is an Austrian film director and actor, as well as an author and screenplay writer.Manker is considered one of the most maverick German-speaking actors, and polarizes public opinion like scarcely no other...
, Birol Ünel
Birol Ünel
Birol Ünel is a German actor of Turkish descent. He has acted in a number of German and Turkish films, TV series and theatrical productions. His name, "Birol", means "unique" in Turkish....
and Werner Daehn
Werner Daehn
Werner Daehn is a German/international actor, who has worked with Vin Diesel and Samuel L. Jackson in xXx, with Jason Priestley in Colditz an ITV1 2005 miniseries, with Bill Pullman in Revelations and with Steven Seagal in Shadow Man...
.
Plot
Barbu (Jakov Kultiasov) is a young boy growing up in a remote area of UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. He and his older sister Mimma (Julia Khanverdieva) perform circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
acts for their village. Barbu and Mimma are sold by their parents to Caruso (Lazar Ristovski
Lazar Ristovski
Lazar "Laza" Ristovski is a Serbian actor, director, producer and writer. He has appeared on stage about 4000 times, and starred in over 40 films, TV series and TV dramas, mostly in lead roles.-Biography:...
), a German circus master to supposedly become part of his circus act in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
On their arrival to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Barbu is taken to the circus, in reality being a training camp of young thieves, and Mimma is sold to Cardinal (Paulus Manker
Paulus Manker
Paulus Manker is an Austrian film director and actor, as well as an author and screenplay writer.Manker is considered one of the most maverick German-speaking actors, and polarizes public opinion like scarcely no other...
) for prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
in his brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
. Barbu develops a bond with Caruso and Julie (Katharina Thalbach
Katharina Thalbach
Katharina Thalbach is a German actress and film director.- Life and work :Katharina Thalbach comes from a particularly artistic-oriented family. Her father Benno Besson was a director, her mother Sabine Thalbach was an actress. Her late husband Thomas Brasch was an author. Her daughter Anna and...
), Caruso's wife, and they feel he is the son they never had.
Barbu is trained to pickpocket
Pickpocketing
Pickpocketing is a form of larceny that involves the stealing of money or other valuables from the person of a victim without their noticing the theft at the time. It requires considerable dexterity and a knack for misdirection...
by Marcel (Oktay Özdemir
Oktay Özdemir
-Filmography:-Television:-External links:...
), an older Albanian
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
boy. Caruso eventually discovers that Marcel is keeping a small amount of the cash that he steals, resulting in having him lashed and then sold.
Now working on his own, Barbu learns that Mimma has been forced into prostitution, and attempts to free her by entering the brothel with a colt pistol left for him by Marcel. Barbu fails and is violently returned to the circus by Cardinal. Caruso denies that he knew Mimma was in Germany, and says it will cost 100,000 euros for her freedom.
Barbu steals all of Caruso's hidden stash of money, and attempts to flee with Mimma by having her escape from the brothel window. He is again unsuccessful and severely punished by Caruso. While being lashed, Julie comes in with a pistol and shoots Curuso in the arm. She then takes Barbu to the brothel where they shoot their way to Mimma's room and rescue her.
Caruso arrives to the brothel as the three are leaving, and fatally shoots Julie. He lets Barbu and Mimma leave, and then returns to the circus and burns down his big top
Big Top
Big Top may refer to:* Big top , the biggest tent in early-20th century circuses, where the circus itself took place* Big Top , a Transformers character* Big Top , a children's television series in the 1950s...
whilst inside.
Cast
- Jakov Kultiasov as Barbu
- Lazar RistovskiLazar RistovskiLazar "Laza" Ristovski is a Serbian actor, director, producer and writer. He has appeared on stage about 4000 times, and starred in over 40 films, TV series and TV dramas, mostly in lead roles.-Biography:...
as Caruso - Katharina ThalbachKatharina ThalbachKatharina Thalbach is a German actress and film director.- Life and work :Katharina Thalbach comes from a particularly artistic-oriented family. Her father Benno Besson was a director, her mother Sabine Thalbach was an actress. Her late husband Thomas Brasch was an author. Her daughter Anna and...
as Julie - Julia Khanverdieva as Mimma
- Oktay ÖzdemirOktay Özdemir-Filmography:-Television:-External links:...
as Marcel - Paulus MankerPaulus MankerPaulus Manker is an Austrian film director and actor, as well as an author and screenplay writer.Manker is considered one of the most maverick German-speaking actors, and polarizes public opinion like scarcely no other...
as Cardinal