13 Minutes

13 Minutes is a German historical drama directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel (Diana, Downfall). The film premiered at the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival and stars Christian Friedel, Katharina Schüttler, Burghart Klaußner, and Johann von Bülow.

Georg Elser was a man who could have changed world history and saved millions of human lives, if only he had had 13 more minutes. With 13 more minutes, the bomb he had personally assembled would have torn apart Adolf Hitler and his henchmen. But this was not to be, and on 8 November 1939, Hitler left the scene of the attempted assassination earlier than expected – leaving Elser to fail catastrophically. Who was this man who recognized the danger emanating from Hitler sooner than many others, who took action when everybody else, including the German generals, meekly followed orders or kept silent? What did he see, which our parents or grandparents did not see or want to see? The man who told his torturers to their faces that he wanted to prevent the bloodshed of the imminent world war?

Hirschbiegel was fascinated by Elser for a number of reasons.”Elser is not a politically organized man after all, but simply a free spirit, who believes in individuality and self-determination. Someone who is curious about the world and who wants to escape the constrictions of rural life. Today, we might even call him a hippie. He feels an energy that he regards as destructive – a system controlling everything, believing in violence and suppression of any individuality or creativity. This goes totally against his grain. And he senses a strong inner urge, to stand up against this system.”

13 Minutes is rated 14A.