Program Note
Following the crime drama In the Shadows (2010), this is the second film in Thomas Arslan’s ‘Troyan Trilogy.’ Troyan, who has been living a life of crime in the underground world, returns to Berlin after 12 years. In the meantime, the world has changed rapidly and significantly. With the advent of digital technology replacing cash and goods transactions, the criminal underworld has had to adapt to these new systems and methods. Troyan, a figure from the past and perhaps a failed man, barely manages to dive into this new world. The film is not interested in the complex and chaotic plot, high-octane action, or violent confrontations and chases typical of crime thrillers. From the beginning, where the taciturn and solitary Troyan slowly drives into Berlin, the film follows the unwavering Troyan and the shadows within him. Instead of focusing on the thrill of crime events and their resolutions, the film emphasizes the individual human who quietly accepts the series of tasks before him. The suspense is heightened by the uneasy relationships and mistrust among the characters. (JEONG Jihye)