King of Thieves (film)

Plot

Barbu (Jakov Kultiasov) is a young boy growing up in a remote area of Ukraine. He and his older sister Mimma (Julia Khanverdieva) perform circus acts for their village. Barbu and Mimma are sold by their parents to Caruso (Lazar Ristovski), a German circus master to supposedly become part of his circus act in Berlin.

On their arrival to Germany, Barbu is taken to the circus, in reality being a training camp of young thieves, and Mimma is sold to Cardinal (Paulus Manker) for prostitution in his brothel. Barbu develops a bond with Caruso and Julie (Katharina Thalbach), Caruso's wife, and they feel he is the son they never had. Barbu is trained to pickpocket by Marcel (Oktay Özdemir), an older Albanian boy. Caruso eventually discovers that Marcel is keeping a small amount of the cash that he steals, resulting in having him lashed and then sold.

Now working on his own, Barbu learns that Mimma has been forced into prostitution, and attempts to free her by entering the brothel with a colt pistol left for him by Marcel. Barbu fails and is violently returned to the circus by Cardinal. Caruso denies that he knew Mimma was in Germany, and says it will cost 100,000 euros for her freedom.

Barbu steals all of Caruso's hidden stash of money, and attempts to flee with Mimma by having her escape from the brothel window. He is again unsuccessful and severely punished by Caruso. While being lashed, Julie comes in with a pistol and shoots Curuso in the arm. She then takes Barbu to the brothel where they shoot their way to Mimma's room and rescue her.

Caruso arrives to the brothel as the three are leaving, and fatally shoots Julie. He lets Barbu and Mimma leave, and then returns to the circus and burns down his big top whilst inside.

Cast