Kleine Morde

Little Murders

"Little Murders" is set in Germany in the near future. With criminality out of control, the laws have been toughened drastically. This goes too for the all-encompassing draft law on combating child and youth crime. The age of criminal responsibility has been abolished: children under fourteen who are accused of a major crime must answer to the courts. In the eyes of the law they are now adults.

Of all people it is 12-year-old Martin, the son of a respected judge, a child with an unusually high IQ, who spends his free time in his father's courtroom, who is suspected of murder. And this of a boy who does not waste his time with empty computer games or violent videos, but one who knows jurisprudence almost as well as a lawyer, who devours his father's legal textbooks, who spends a great deal of time with his adult and close friend, the taxi-driver Viktor Gumm, who passionately listens to his grandfather's old vinyl records and who dreams along to classical music.

Everyone who knows Martin finds the accusation absurd; Martin not only looks like an angel but is a boy who loves justice, is loyal and fair to everyone, perfectly able to entertain himself and others, and thanks to his brilliant knowledge of Latin – he is even better than his teacher – always has a Latin saying ready for use in whatever situation.

But now Martin is a murderer, a child of whom the courts should make an example? The media are beside themselves, this is going to be sensational! And everyone claims to know better than the next person.

Top lawyer Julia Comer, who still has not recovered from the suicide of her last client, which took place in front of her own eyes, believes Martin to be innocent and undertakes his defense.

Source: German Films Service & Marketing GmbH