This is a story about Michael and Bruno. Though half-brothers, the two are completely different. They share only a mother in common who neglected them to lead a carefree jet-set life leaving them in the care of separate grandparents. Introverted molecular biologist Michael is so wrapped up in his genetic research that he shies away from intimacy while Bruno is a slave to his fantasies, paying for sexual favours. Everything changes when both men, now thirty-something, find love. Michael happens to re-unite with his childhood sweetheart, Annabelle and Bruno meets Christiane who shares and enjoys his sexual obsessions. Although it seems that luck is finally on their side, by a cruel twist of fate their happiness is shattered.
The Elementary Particles is the highly anticipated film based on Michel Houellebecq's bestseller "Atomized". It’s produced by Bernd Eichinger (Der Untergang, Smilla's Sense of Snow) and written/directed by Oskar Roelher. The film features an all-star German cast and world premiered in the competition at the BERLIN film festival 2006. Moritz Bleibtreu won a Silver Bear award for best actor. Scandinavian theatrical release 2006.
Genre: Drama
Director: Oskar Roehler
Running time: 113 min
Screenplay: Oskar Roehler
Publication year: 2006
Cast: Moritz Bleibtreu, Martina Gedeck, Christian Ulmen, Franka Potente, Nina Hoss, Uwe Ochsenknecht, Corinna Harfouch, Jasmin Tabatabai, Tom Schilling
Cinematography: Carl-Friedrich Koschnick
Score: Martin Todsharow
Producer: Bernd Eichinger, Oliver Berben
Editing: Peter R. Adam
DVD release: 2007-03-07