The Phenomenon of "Exterritorial": Top-Tier German Netflix Film
Groundbreaking German Netflix Production Reaches Unprecedented Heights - "German Netflix Hit," transcending international borders and achieving epic success in the realm of streaming entertainment.
After just a month on Netflix, the German action thriller "Exterritorial" set in Frankfurt am Main swiftly ascended ranks as one of the most successful worldwide Netflix productions.
The nerve-wracking drama with Jeanne Goursaud in the titular role zoomed past heavyweights such as Edward Berger's Oscar-winning anti-war film "All Quiet on the Western Front" (2022) and the action horror film "Blood Red Sky" (2021), directed by Peter Thorwarth, to take the crown.
Now sitting at 16^{th} place on the list of all Netflix films, theesz's masterpiece boasts an impressive 76.3 million views – a stunning achievement made all the more impressive considering Netflix only reports views from the first three months. The film even outranks several English-language Netflix films and is the 6^{th} most popular non-English film on the platform.
"Exterritorial" was primarily filmed in Vienna, with characters navigating an imaginary Frankfurt. The complex building shown throughout the movie doesn't actually exist in the city.
The "Exterritorial" Plot
Netflix describes the storyline thusly: "When her young son disappears inside a US consulate without a trace, former soldier Sara will stop at nothing to find him and uncover a dangerous conspiracy."
The complex backstory of Ex-Bundeswehr soldier Sara Wulf (Goursaud) reveals a character traumatized by her Afghan war experiences and longing to relocate to America. Applying for a work permit at the American consulate in Frankfurt with her six-year-old son Josh (Rickson Guy da Silva), sudden and inexplicable disappearance of Josh leaves her confounded and desperate. With no leads and no footage to support her claim, she's asked to leave. Yet, Sara's persuasive determination to unravel the mystery stems from her knowledge that the US consulate is considered extraterritorial territory, where German authorities have no authority. If Sara doesn't dig deeper into this alarming disappearance, she may never find Josh again. But is Josh even real? Is Consul General Eric Kynch (Dougray Scott) trustworthy?
In a Nutshell
"Exterritorial" portrays a determined German woman's battle against unsavory Americans.
The Roots of the Film
Director Christian Zübert found the idea for "Exterritorial" while filming the second season of the ZDF series "Bad Banks" in 2019. Seeking to fly to the US for his family's biometric passport exhibition, Zurbert and his family spent hours at the US consulate.
"We had almost eight hours there," Zurber said. "My children were quite young. There was really an indoor playground like the one in the film, and we left them there for a bit. While I had all these strict security measures right next to me, while I watched people come and go, I thought to myself, 'If I want to pick up the kids now, and the Americans say they were never here, then I wouldn't stand a chance.' – That was the first thought that sparked the idea."
The Mind Behind the Masterpiece: Christian Zübert
Zübert has written screenplays for various films, including "Mädchen, Mädchen," "Neue Vahr Süd," "Dampfnudelblues," and "Der Fall Collini," and has also directed productions such as "KDD - Kriminaldauerdienst" and the celebrated Munich "Tatort: Never Free Again" (2010), which won a Grimme Prize and is frequently ranked among the best "Tatort" crime films.
Taking inspiration from 70s action films by William Friedkin and John Frankenheimer, Zurber describes his blockbuster "Exterritorial" as "incredibly physical."
The Leading Lady: Jeanne Goursaud
A French-German actress, Jeanne Goursaud, who garnered fame through her role as the fierce Thusnelda in Netflix's "Barbarians" (two seasons since 2020), breathes life into the complex character of Sara Wulf. Goursaud delivers an emotionally charged and physically intense performance in this riveting thriller.
A Global Recipe for Thriller Success?
Director Zurber attributes the film's success to some degree to Sara's relatable character: "Our heroine has a military background, yet she's ultimately a relatively ordinary woman, not a drug dealer, not a corrupt cop – just someone you don't typically see in action films."
In the realm of streaming entertainment, the German action film "Exterritorial" on Netflix, directed by Christian Zübert, has captivated millions worldwide, especially given its themes of international intrigue and personal determination. Set in both Frankfurt am Main and Vienna, this thriller revolves around a mother's desperate search for her missing child in the US consulate, which leads her to uncover dangerous secrets and question the trustworthiness of American officials. With its engaging plot, emotive performances, and contemporary exploration of territory and authority, "Exterritorial" demonstrates a blueprint for success in the realm of global television and movie production.
