Stürm – Until we’re dead or free!: Biopic about escape artist Walter Stürm and his lawyer Barbara Hug.
Film plot and background
In 1980, demonstrations in Zurich repeatedly lead to riots between the state and rebels. The committed lawyer Barbara Hug (Marie Leuenberger) has always campaigned for the justice system in Switzerland to be turned upside down. She represents rebellious clients like Heike (Jella Haase), whom she gets off with a trick. Time and again she has to interrupt her dedicated work because her health has been poor from an early age. A tumour, a missing kidney and high radiation levels force her onto dialysis.
When she meets the charming Walter Stürm (Joel Basman), who recently escaped from prison again, she wants to use his life story to obtain more freedom for others. He not only befriends the rebellious Heike, who has her eye on him, Barbara also takes a liking to him. However, another stay in prison leads him to solitary confinement and a hunger strike. Inhumane conditions that exist in the supposedly model state. However, the struggle for freedom does not only bring out the best in people.
“Until we’re dead or free” – background, cast, cinema release
Director Oliver Rihs’ film takes on two biographies at once in the biopic “Until We’re Dead or Free”: Walter Stürm consciously chose a life of crime, Barbara Hug always committed herself against injustice despite her illness. It was only during the writing process of the screenplay that it crystallised that it was worthwhile to follow Barbara Hug’s path as well. Both died some time ago: Stürm took her own life at the age of 57, Hugs died a few years later at the age of 59.
This biopic stars Marie Leuenberger (“The Divine Order”) as Hugs, Joel Basman (“Dear Thomas”) as Stürm and Jella Haase (“Berlin Alexanderplatz”), Anatole Taubmann (“The Pillar of the Earth”) and Bibiana Beglau (“The Three !!!”) in other roles. The theatrical release of “Bis wir tot sind oder frei” is 31 March 2022.
