Playoff (film)
Encyclopedia
Playoff is a 2011 biographical film
, written and directed by Israeli
director, Eran Riklis
. The film "Playoff" is inspired by the life of Ralph Klein, Israel's most famous basketball coach, ever.
in the late Seventies, one of Israel's first great international sporting successes. But Max became a national traitor equally fast, when he then accepted the against-all-odds job of turning the totally hopeless West-German basketball team into European winners.
Max always maintains that Germany - where he was born before the war - means nothing to him, and that training their national team is just another job on his path to NBA glory. But things aren't as simple as he refuses to speak German to the young players. The only person he seems to be able to relate to is a Turkish immigrant woman Deniz, and her cheeky teenage daughter Sema. Max just about falls in love with Deniz - and does succeed in reinventing the Germans as European champions. When he discovers what happened to his own family in the 1940s - it is not what he had expected. And he will realize that one cannot run away forever from one's own past and demons.
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
, written and directed by Israeli
Israeli
Israeli may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to the country of Israel* Israelis, people from Israel, or of Israeli descent. For more information about the Israeli people, see:**Demographics of Israel**Culture of Israel**Israelites...
director, Eran Riklis
Eran Riklis
Eran Riklis is an Israeli filmmaker. His films include Cup Final , The Syrian Bride , and Lemon Tree . He was born in 1954 and he studied at the National Film and Television School in England. He is married to Dina Riklis and they have two children, a daughter, Tammy, and a son, Jonathan...
. The film "Playoff" is inspired by the life of Ralph Klein, Israel's most famous basketball coach, ever.
Plot
The movie tells the story of legendary Israeli basketball coach Max Stoller. He became a national hero, when he made Maccabi Tel Aviv into European ChampionsEuroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
in the late Seventies, one of Israel's first great international sporting successes. But Max became a national traitor equally fast, when he then accepted the against-all-odds job of turning the totally hopeless West-German basketball team into European winners.
Max always maintains that Germany - where he was born before the war - means nothing to him, and that training their national team is just another job on his path to NBA glory. But things aren't as simple as he refuses to speak German to the young players. The only person he seems to be able to relate to is a Turkish immigrant woman Deniz, and her cheeky teenage daughter Sema. Max just about falls in love with Deniz - and does succeed in reinventing the Germans as European champions. When he discovers what happened to his own family in the 1940s - it is not what he had expected. And he will realize that one cannot run away forever from one's own past and demons.
Cast
- Danny HustonDanny Huston-Early life:Huston was born in Rome, Italy. He hails from the illustrious Huston acting and filmmaking dynasty. He is the son of legendary director John Huston, half-brother of actress Anjelica Huston and screenwriter Tony Huston, uncle of actor Jack Huston, stepbrother of Allegra Huston, and...
as Ralph Klein (Max Stoller) - Amira CasarAmira CasarAmira Casar is a French actress who grew up in Ireland and who has appeared in 40 films between 1989 and 2009....
as Deniz - Mark Waschke as Axel
- Max RiemeltMax RiemeltMax Riemelt is a German actor born in Berlin in 1984 . He says "it was more by coincidence because I hadn't really thought about getting involved in acting and hadn't joined any drama groups at school"....
as Thomas - Hanns Zischler as Franz
- Selen Savas as Sema
- Smadi Wolfman as Ronit (Smadar Wolfman)
- Andreas Eufinger as Ulrich
- Mathias von Heydebrand as Dieter
- Irm Hermann as Bertha
- Yehuda Almagor as Shimi
- Volker Metzker - Reporter Taxi
- Verena Wüstkamp as Reporter - VIP Room
- Oliver Klös - Cameraman
- Steffen Müller - Reporter VIP
- Peter Steitz - Border Police Man
- Arne Habeck - Policeman
- Michael Benthin as Chestnutseller
- Thomas Lehmann - Policeman
- Janine Bernstein - Woman Night Club
- Momo Schmitz as Clerk
- Susanne Tischler - Saleswoman Watchstore
- Andreas Dobberkau - Driver
- Karl Jürgen Sihler - Repoter VIP