We Are Next of Kin
One day in 1996 everything changes for 13-year-old Johann. For the first time in his life, he
experiences true fear when his father is kidnapped. Johann and his mother are forced to go through
33 days of a living nightmare.
After the police move into his family's home, it increasingly seems that
their investigative skills leave much to be desired. Desperate letters from his father reach Johann
between various failed attempts at money drops. It gradually becomes clear that his father's life can
only be saved if the family doesn't follow the police's lead. The story of the kidnapping of Jan Philipp
Reemstma, one of the richest men in Germany, from the perspective of the family. Based on the
autobiographical book written by his son Johann Scheerer.
About the director:
Hans-Christian Schmid was born in Altötting in 1965 and lives in Berlin today. Following his studies at
film school in Munich, he graduated in scriptwriting from USC in Los Angeles. Schmid’s films include
23, CRAZY, DISTANT LIGHTS, REQUIEM and the international co-production STORM. In 2004, he
founded the production company 23/5, which has produced five films so far: his own REQUIEM, THE
WONDROUS WORLD OF LAUNDRY, and STORM as well as AND ALONG COME TOURISTS by Robert
Thalheim and THE EDGE by Géraldine Bajard. Schmid’s films have all been invited to various national
and international festivals and have received several awards.
