Vadim Glowna’s Desperado City, a West German drama, won the Caméra d’Or at the 1981 Cannes Film Fest.
Set in Hamburg, it cenyers on Skoda (Siemen Rühaak), a former student from a rich family; his father is a banker. Looking for an alternative life, away from his childhood’s opulence, he begins a love affair with Eva Buchholz, after she buys him a taxi.
The film follows Skoda on his nightly rides through the city. He takes his taxi to St. Pauli, where he meets Liane, a kindred spirit, a teenager who finds her own home life equally difficult; she is just as fed up with her life as he is.
After quitting her hairdressing training, the duo spend their time dreaming of emigrating to America.
When Eva discovers his infidelity, she takes her own life for fear of loneliness, and Skoda is blamed for her death by her ex-husband. He swears to avenge her, and the hunt for Skoda begins.
The tale ends tragically. Desperate and looking to change his life, he robs his father’s bank and is shot by a security guard.
Cast
Siemen Rühaak as Skoda
Beate Finckh as Liane
Vera Tschechowa as Hilke
Karin Baal as Eva Buchholz
Witta Pohl as Gertrud
Caméra d’Or Winning Films (1978-Present)
Alambrista! (1978), US
Northern Lights (1979), US
Adrien’s Story (1980), French
Desperado City (1981), West German
Half a Life (1982)
The Princess (1983)
Stranger Than Paradise (1984), US
Oriana (1985)
Noir et Blanc (1986)
Robinsonada or My English Grandfather (1987)
Salaam Bombay! (1988), US
My 20th Century (1989)
Freeze Die Come to Life (1990)]
Toto the Hero (1991)
Mac (1992), US
The Scent of Green Papaya (1993)
Coming to Terms with the Dead (1994)
The White Balloon (1995)
Love Serenade (1996)
Suzaku (1997
Slam (1998), US
Marana Simhasanam (1999)
Djomeh (2000)
A Time for Drunken Horses (2000)
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001)
Seaside (2002)
Reconstruction (2003)
Or (My Treasure) (2004), Israel
Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005), US
The Forsaken Land (2005)
12:08 East of Bucharest (2006)
Jellyfish (2007), Israel
Hunger (2008), UK
Samson and Delilah (2009)
Año bisiesto (2010)
Las Acacias (2011)
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012), US
Ilo Ilo (2013)
Party Girl (2014)
Land and Shade (2015)
Divines (2016)
Montparnasse Bienvenue (2017)
Girl (2018), Belgium
Our Mothers (2019)
Murina (2021)
War Pony (2022), US
Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell (2023)
Armand (2024)
The President’s Cake (2025)
