In his Spiegel bestseller "The Dead," Christian Kracht, celebrated author of "Faserland" and "Imperium," takes us into the final days of the Weimar Republic, where everything is at stake. While some light torches, others sit on packed suitcases. Betrayal and lies, fear and passion, love and violence shape the lives of the people. Swiss director Emil Nägeli wants to make a film that captures the essence of his time. This film, Amakasu, the Japanese co-producer, hopes, will establish a German-Japanese axis and drive Hollywood films out of theaters in both Germany and Japan. With locations in Berlin and Tokyo, in Switzerland and Hollywood, and guest appearances by Charlie Chaplin and Heinz Rühmann, Christian Kracht creates a haunting historical kaleidoscope about human existence: absolutely masterful.