MARIO UND DER ZAUBERER (Premiere B)

Sun, good food, dolce vita - a harmless summer vacation in Italy turns into an oppressive nightmare for a German family. The atmosphere in the seaside resort of Torre di Venere is hostile. Foreigners are eyed with suspicion, the mood is pervaded by growing nationalism and latent violence. But instead of leaving, the family comes to terms with the situation. The highlight of the vacation is the performance of the notorious magician Cipolla, a sinister hypnotist with terrifying powers over his audience. And no one can escape it. But then Cipolla meets Mario, a young local waiter. When the magician makes him his next target, the situation escalates...

A parable about power, manipulation and the disastrous pull of totalitarian seduction.

In his novella, Nobel Prize winner Thomas Mann delivers a clear-sighted warning about the dangers of authoritarian ideologies that has lost none of its topicality to this day. Even on Mann's 150th birthday, we are still asking ourselves: How long will we watch before we act?