Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet on the Western Front, Lion, Hotel Mumbai, Patrick Melrose, The Old Guard, Adrift, One Life, Ammonite) has been hired to score an upcoming German Netflix original film inspired by the true story of the German NGO Jugend Rettet and its ship, the Iuventa. The movie is directed by Markus Goller (My Brother Simple) and stars Louis Hofmann, Mala Emde, Katharina Stark, Frederick Lau, Trevor Magaya, Maria Dragus, Kathy Etoa, Saibon Wang, Felice, Joone Dankou, Luisa-Céline Gaffron, Merlin von Garnier and Omid Memar. The movie chronicles the journey of a group of young Berliners who – unable to stand by and watch as countless refugees lose their lives attempting to reach Europe by sea – launch a crowdfunding campaign to buy an old ship and embark on a mission to save thousands of people. Oliver Ziegenbalg (My Blind Date with Life) wrote the screenplay with Michele Cinque (The Magic Flute). Goller and Ziegenbalg are producing the project with Flute Film’s Christopher Zwickler. Bertelmann has previously collaborated with Goller on the director’s last two features, One for the Road and Die Ironie des Lebens and the TV seriesWild Republic. The untitled film is currently shooting in Malta is expected to premiere in 2025 on Netflix.
Bertelmann’s other recent projects include Edward Berger’s Conclave, which will be released in theaters nationwide next Friday, October 25 by Focus Features, as well as HBO’s Dune: Prophecy, which will premiere in November.