No Mercy

A film by Andrea Schramm und Jana Matthes

"No Mercy" is the story of three young criminals doing time in the largest young offenders institution in Germany in the city of Hamelin. Their crimes are of remarkable brutality. Jens is a notorious thug, Nils was determined to commit a murder for the sum of one thousand Deutschmarks whereas Scheich, a youth of Libanese background, made himself known through a fake-execution.

The dedicated psychologist Dr. Michael Heilmann tries to encourage these young men to abandon violence through an unusual type of training, which he calls an Anti-Aggressiveness-Program. Reluctant in the beginning, the young criminals take part in the program. Initially their decision is not based on a real willingness to change, merely a way of escaping the prison monotony.

Now for the first time the young criminals have to face their true selfs by a radical confrontation with their victims.

Finally they realize that only non-violence will keep them out of prison. In a merciless process Heilemann makes them expose themselves to the rest of the group. He is only satisfied when they are feeling shame for their crimes.

While the "tough" facade of the boys is starting to crumble Heilemann’s unconventional therapy is being attacked by the authorities. The continuation of the programme is being endangered.

Axel-Springer-Award 2001Discovery Channel Award 2001

Author	Jana Matthes and Andrea Schramm
Director	Andrea Schramm
Director of Photography	Bernd Meiners
Sound Mixer	Pascal Capitolin, Olaf Krohn
Music	Gert Wilden jr.
Editor	Gaby Kull-Neujahr
Technical Supervisor	Björn Jensen
Production Manager	Jutta Göller
Co-Producer	Brigitte Schroedter (BR), Enno Hungerland (WDR)
Producer	Jörg Bundschuh

A Kick Film production in coproduction with BR, WDR