Synopsis
Who wants to live in the streets? Not Michael. Faced with the eviction notice he swears: “That would be the most shameful thing for me. An insult to my existence.” Ben, Knüppel and Chris disagree. For them the streets represent self-chosen freedom: a deliberate rejection of the “semi-detached”, dropping out of the system, anarchy. They resemble the 'Vagabonds' who founded a movement in the 1930s, though the film makes it clear that a lot must happen before someone takes this step. Hristiana Raykova’s and Lisa Block’s subject is not 'homelessness in Germany', nor misery or poor victims and least of all compassion (or, if at all, for the semi-detached). The film neither idealises nor sugarcoats anything as it examines life plans and the existential question: what is happiness? Being able to leave whenever you want? Or perhaps having a safe haven and security after all? The protagonists aren’t too sure about this, as we learn. But who is?
And so this is primarily a film about searching. For a 'donation of small change', a place, a meaning. Consequently, the camera restlessly follows the 'Kings' through the cities which we learn to see with new eyes. No, this is not about 'beautiful' images. But, for example, about the interesting question Knüppel raises: can a man with a job still be a good punk? (DOKLeipzig, Grit Lemke)
