Synopsis

In 4th-century Germania, the lazy Bavarian villager Germanikus is captured by slave traders and taken to Rome. Bought by the wealthy Tusnelda, he becomes entangled in Roman intrigues and meets the enslaved Saba. After rising from household slave to imperial food taster, Germanikus survives assassination attempts, arena danger, and a succession of absurd accidents that unexpectedly propel him toward power.

Factoids & Trivia

• Filming took place from July 1 to August 27, 2001, in Rome, Tunisia, Munich, and the surrounding area.

• The Roman settings were created at Cinecitta Studios in Rome. Production included a partial reconstruction of the Colosseum.

• The film was repeatedly re-edited and re-dubbed after disagreements between the producer and the director. Although it was intended for release in late 2001, it did not reach German theaters until March 25, 2004.

• Gerhard Polt had reportedly been developing the idea since 1997. The project reunited Polt with longtime creative collaborator Hanns Christian Muller after their earlier satirical comedies.

• Germanikus was Polt's first historical film and uses ancient Rome as a setting for satire aimed at modern social issues, including slavery, consumerism, abuse of power, and debates over outsiders.

• The film attracted 218,914 theatrical admissions in Germany during its initial release.