Second World War drama will shoot on location in Berlin, Cologne and Görlitz.

Emma Thompson

The English-language adaptation of Hans Fallada’s classic 1947 novel Alone In Berlin is set to begin shooting in Germany.

Based on the true story of a working class couple who conducted a series of anonymous protests against the Nazi regime during the Second World War, principal photography will begin tomorrow (March 27) on location in Berlin, Cologne and Görlitz.

Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks) and Brendan Gleeson (Calvary) star as Anna and Otto Quangel, with Daniel Brühl (Rush) playing Gestapo inspector Escherich.

Producers are Stefan Arndt and Uwe Schott for X-Filme, the German production outfit whose credits include Amour, The White Ribbon and Cloud Atlas.

Co-producers are Master Movie’s Marco Pacchioni together with James Schamus and FilmWave’s Christian Grass and Paul Trijbits.

French actor Vincent Perez will direct.

The screenplay was written by Achim von Borries (Good Bye Lenin!) and Vincent Pérez.

Former Focus Features International co-president Alison Thompson is handling international sales and distribution through her Sunray Films outfit. Pathe will distribute in France and Benelux.

Joining the production team are cinematographer Christophe Beaucarne (Mr. Nobody), production designer Jean-Vincent Puzos (Amour) and editor Francois Gédigier (On The Road, Yves Saint Laurent).

The film is set in Berlin in 1940 and centres on Otto and Anna Quangel, who live in a shabby apartment block trying to stay out of trouble under Nazi rule. But when their only child is killed fighting at the front, their loss propels them into the German resistance.

They start to drop anonymous postcards all over the city attacking Hitler and his regime. If caught, it means certain execution. Soon their campaign comes to the attention of Gestapo inspector Escherich (Bruhl), and a deadly game of cat-and-mouse begins. 

But the game serves only to strengthen Otto and Anna’s sense of purpose, and slowly their lives and marriage are transformed as they unite in their quiet rebellion.