Night owls: twelve portraits of life after sundown
From secret graffiti sprayers to late-night table tennis tournaments: twelve short videos about people who only come alive after dark.
Plattentanz
Floodlights, a concrete table, a bat in your hand – and nothing but darkness all around. At late-night table tennis in the neighbourhood, it’s not about performance but about community. ‘Plattentanz’ brings together people who prefer to be awake at night. For its founder, Henri, it became more than a sport – it became love.
Team: Jonathan Bar-Am, Jan de Vries
No headphones
At night, the way home is never just a way home. It means being on guard. No headphones in, a quick glance over your shoulder. For some, the fear begins when the streets are empty.
Team: Cećilie Ring, Selma von Hennigs
When death calls
In the middle of the night the phone rings. On the other end: a distraught widow. Her husband has died – at 97. For the undertaker, it’s part of everyday work. And yet every call-out touches him. At night he encounters death while others sleep. For him, one thing is clear: only those who accept their own mortality can truly appreciate life.
Team: Lena Kunz, Simon Deppe, Annabel Karmelk, Isabel Reda
Who’s the hero?
The Reeperbahn by night – the heart of St. Pauli’s entertainment district, known for its unconventional, lively atmosphere. Eve Champagne, a burlesque dancer at the Cabaret Pulverfass, lives and works on the Kiez and has plenty of stories to tell. Which anecdote will she share tonight?
Team: Jana Junker, Emil Eichinger, Robin Fischer
Night trails
Walking through the woods at night takes courage. Darkness makes sounds louder and shadows come alive. But those who dare discover another world. Fire salamanders, wild boar, rustling leaves – nature up close. And at the end, many say it was the best walk of their lives.
Team: Walter Lehmann, Pay Numrich, Hagen Plasswich
Between work and family
While others are still asleep, she is already at her desk. Her day begins amid birdsong and empty streets. She is a teacher, a mother – and often pushed beyond her limits. The night gives her peace before the balancing act between work and family begins.
Team: Lena Kunz, Simon Deppe, Annabel Karmelk, Isabel Reda
At the window
What does the night feel like when you’re locked up alone in a few square metres for several years? Mamadou spent four years in prison in Berlin. Inside, the night took on a special meaning for him – one that would shape his later life in freedom.
Team: Meline Bühler, Paula Baierlein
Nights of faith
As a child in Morocco, Hanifa began fasting for half-days with her family during Ramadan, and she has fond memories of those times. Today she sometimes finds it hard to reconcile Ramadan with her everyday life in Germany. For her, prayer is a path to inner peace and calm. And when the sun goes down and the fast is broken, she feels a warm sense of fulfilment and reward.
Team: Clara Schöttke, Janek Stempel
Teresa dreams
While others sleep, Teresa wakes up. Since childhood, nightmares have robbed her of sleep. On some days she can barely cope with everyday life, because she often wakes up more exhausted than when she went to bed.
Team: Laura Rößiger, Max Schlag, Annika Weertz
Witches & devils
A world full of magic and mystery: every year, Walpurgis Night in Schierke draws visitors from near and far. With traditional dances, shows and fabulous costumes, the town welcomes the spring. But what lies behind the medieval legends that come alive after dark – and who are the people behind them?
Team: Kilian Kämper, Leonie Hinze, Till Franke
