Franziska Buch based Emil und die Detektive on the children’s novel of the same name, written in 1928 by Erich Kästner. She produces a wonderful adaptation which sensitively preserves the core of the story – namely a strong sense of family and comradeship – but transports it to the 21st century with the help of excellent actors. Hip-hop music, stylish clothes, and the use of cell phones and laptops create an atmosphere of Berlin as a truly vibrant and modern metropolis.
Watch a clip from the long-lost British remake of Erich Kästner’s childrens’ story