Rauliens Revier

“Mrs Meyer needs a lawyer. Savaz would like to borrow 5 Marks by some unorthodox means. Ramona didn’t come home out all last night. A confused old man is causing trouble in the stairway. And then, of course, there is the thing with the Moroccans. 16-year old Karem has a secret understanding with Mrs Illhadrt. He has replaced his 18-year old brother, Sayed, who is jealous. Abdoul, the eldest brother, should be looking after his brothers, but he cannot. The father, Belhardi, a practising Muslim, does not understand the world any more. Typical cases for police superintendent Hans Raulien. “Raulien’s District”: an industrial area in the Ruhrgebiet, is wedged in between the motorway and the August Thyssen Steelworks. Duisburg – Bruckhausen: unemployment runs at 50% and the foreign population at 75%. But they are trying to cope there. Yet, there is no shortage of problems and they all end up in Raulien’s little office. The camera does nothing more than record what happens. This is an opportunity to witness unconventional solutions to money problems, quick, simple and sound pieces of advice and the ongoing Belhardi/Illhardt family crisis, in eleven episodes. A real life story, a documentary that is almost like fiction.” (Alice Agneskirchner)