Des Kaisers neue Kleider (2010)

Jakob travels through the country and arrives in the emperor’s city. He meets Maja and her little sister Greta and learns about the citizens’ hardship and poverty, because Emperor Friedhelm spends a great deal of money and time on his clothes. Jakob decides to change things and, through a trick, secures an audience with the emperor. He claims to be the best weaver far and wide and promises to make the emperor the most beautiful clothes of all. They have one special quality, however: anyone who is unforgivably stupid or unworthy of their position cannot see them. The emperor is delighted, because he thinks this will let him identify who in his realm is stupid or unfit for their office. Jakob sets to work at the loom with Maja and Greta. But there is no fabric on the loom. The emperor sends his closest confidant to report on how well the work is progressing. The confidant tells him the clothes look splendid, even though he has seen nothing, so as not to appear stupid. When the emperor is about to put on the finished clothes, he cannot see them either. But he says they are beautiful clothes, because he wants to be considered fit to be emperor. The emperor presents his new clothes to the people. Everyone marvels—they cannot see anything—and says how beautiful the emperor’s new clothes are. No one wants to let on that they see nothing. At last, a little child says, “But the emperor isn’t wearing anything at all!” The innocent child’s words spread among the people. Then everyone tells the truth: The emperor is wearing nothing! The emperor recognizes the truth in shame. Unlike in the original story, he accepts the situation with a laugh, and it makes him realize that beautiful clothes are not everything. When he is then persuaded to do more for his people and release the innocent prisoners, he realizes that this can earn him far more appreciation than clothes ever could.