Directed by:
Xavier KollerScreenplay:
Klaus RichterCinematography:
Felix von MuraltComposer:
Balz BachmannCast:
Moritz Bleibtreu, Fynn Henkel, Richy Müller, Waldemar Kobus, Leonardo Nigro, Sabine Timoteo, Ruby O. Fee, Catrin Striebeck, Jürgen Rißmann, Rafael Koussouris (more)Plots(1)
The Swiss canton of Ticino, 19th century. In a remote mountain village, Giorgio, 14, leads a harsh but happy life - until the day his mother has a serious accident. The only way his father can pay the doctor is ... by selling Giorgio. 40 francs is what Giorgio's father gets from the "Man with the Scar," who resells the boys he buys in Switzerland to prosperous chimney-sweep agents in Milan. There, Giorgio and his friend Alfredo become "spazzacamini," forced to work in narrow, soot-filled chimneys. For the boys, it's an exciting adventure: the big city, the secret crypt beneath a church, the pretty, but gravely ill Angeletta, his master's daughter... Giorgio is in luck, for he is treated well by his master Battista, even though Battista's wife and son enjoy tormenting him. However the work is hard and lurking on the streets are the Wolves, a gang that takes every opportunity to bully the chimney sweep boys. But then Giorgio meets Alfredo again who has formed the Black Brothers gang, which accepts Giorgio as a member. The group swears to help one another; together they fight against all hostile forces, against injustice, against the Wolves, and plan to escape back to Ticino. (HBO Europe)
(more)Cast
![Moritz Bleibtreu](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/168/790/168790957_jgs7rf.jpg)
Moritz Bleibtreu
West Germany
Best movies:
Knockin' on Heaven's Door (1997)
The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008)
Time You Change (2010)
Fynn Henkel
Germany
Best movies:
The Black Brothers (2013)
![Richy Müller](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/072/312/72312320_a3b5d7.jpg)
Richy Müller
West Germany
Best movies:
Life Is All You Get (1997)
Die Kirschenkönigin (2004) (series)
Four Minutes (2006)
![Waldemar Kobus](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/168/791/168791887_z71hhh.jpg)
Waldemar Kobus
Poland
Best movies:
Valkyrie (2008)
Black Book (2006)
The Captain (2017)
![Leonardo Nigro](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/159/280/159280692_db07bd.jpg)
Leonardo Nigro
Best movies:
Happy as Lazzaro (2018)
Sennentuntschi: Curse of the Alps (2010)
Antibodies (2005)
![Sabine Timoteo](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/158/139/158139992_0b4e47.jpg)
Sabine Timoteo
Switzerland
Best movies:
The Collini Case (2019)
The Free Will (2006)
A Friend of Mine (2006)
![Ruby O. Fee](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/162/204/162204713_d6e4fb.jpg)
Ruby O. Fee
Costa Rica
Best movies:
Womb (2010)
Polar (2019)
Marthe's Secret (2016) (TV movie)
![Catrin Striebeck](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/159/463/159463773_eb2ee3.jpg)
Catrin Striebeck
Austria
Best movies:
Head-On (2004)
The Collini Case (2019)
Soul Kitchen (2009)
![Jürgen Rißmann](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/159/555/159555636_6423a9.jpg)
Jürgen Rißmann
West Germany
Best movies:
In the Name of the Father (1993)
Barefoot (2005)
Sources of Life (2013)
![Rafael Koussouris](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/161/706/161706308_0efe17.jpg)
Rafael Koussouris
Germany
Best movies:
Almanya: Welcome to Germany (2011)
Bella Germania (2019) (series)
Suck Me Shakespeer 3 (2017)
![Andreas Warmbrunn](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/165/557/165557236_b0d8f7.jpg)
Andreas Warmbrunn
Germany
Best movies:
Tom Sawyer (2011)
The Black Brothers (2013)
Leni Wesselman
Germany
Best movies:
Gundermann (2018)
Landauer - Der Präsident (2014) (TV movie)
As We Were Dreaming (2015)
![David Hürten](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/162/157/162157237_2d3037.jpg)
David Hürten
Best movies:
Nichts mehr wie vorher (2013) (TV movie)
The Crocodiles (2009)
Vorstadtkrokodile 2 (2010)
Javidan Imani
Best movies:
The Crocodiles (2009)
Vorstadtkrokodile 2 (2010)
The Black Brothers (2013)
![Jasper Smets](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/165/562/165562254_6e8399.jpg)
Jasper Smets
Best movies:
The Black Brothers (2013)
Oliver Ewy
Best movies:
Treasure (2024)
Hidden Away (2020)
The Black Brothers (2013)
Ciro de Chiara
West Germany
Best movies:
Croupier (1998)
Schimanski (1997) (series)
Polizeiruf 110 (1971) (series)
![Max Damisi](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w88h116crop/files/images/creator/photos/163/040/163040388_7602f6.jpg)
Max Damisi
Best movies:
The Black Brothers (2013)
Tausche Kind gegen Karriere (2005) (TV movie)
Nedjo Osman
Best movies:
The Meeting Point (1989)
The Black Brothers (2013)
Can Schneider
Germany
Best movies:
Almanya: Welcome to Germany (2011)
The Black Brothers (2013)