Highflyers (2019) [N/A]
Featuring:
Andreas Drapa, Uschi Zwang, Walter Niebecker
Written by:
Lena Leonhardt
Directed by:
Lena Leonhardt
Release Date:
May 12, 2019
Original Title:
Höhenflüge
Genres:
Documentary
Production Countries:
Germany
Ratings / Certifications:
N/A
Runtime: 90
Several hundred thousand euros for a pigeon: a price many super rich in Dubai or China are willing to pay because especially in China betting on pigeon races has become a million-dollar business. "Höhenflüge" talks about winners and losers in a game ruled by the new powers of global economy.
Andreas Drapa used to be a regular paver in a small town, breeding pigeons in his free time. Now he's a millionaire - and the wealthiest high-class racing pigeon breeder in Germany. As such he has become the preferred business partner of multi-millionaires in China and Dubai. Because especially in the Middle Kingdom betting on pigeon races has become a million-dollar business behind closed doors. But Drapa's still aiming for more: He wants to belong to the powerful super rich, too. There are also enemies, though. In the eyes of his former colleagues, Drapa abuses the "original spirit" of this sport by transforming pigeons to expensive wares. Some of them are sure that Andreas is cheating in order to get fame and recognition and try to detect his assumed intrigues. HÖHENFLÜGE / HIGHFLYERS The dream of making money has never came true for the hairdresser Uschi. However, she would never exploit her pigeons to make money. They are like children to her. Like children she never had. And then there is Walter: The former lawyer has always been questioning the worth of money in general - even more since he has been diagnosed with cancer, facing the certainty of having only a few more years to live. HIGHFLYERS adopts an unusual perspective on the story of winners and losers in a game ruled by the new powers of global economy.
