Palermo oder Wolfsburg (1980)

Nicola is 17 years old. He comes from Sicily and is the son of a poor family. To him, Germany is supposed to be a land of unlimited possibilities and, above all, a country that can help his family back in Sicily survive. When he arrives in Wolfsburg, he finds work at Volkswagen. There he befriends other Italians, who teach him how best to get by in German society. Life in the far north gets off to a good start for young Nicola, who manages to find his feet despite the language difficulties. He falls in love with a German girl, Brigitte. Things become problematic when Brigitte leaves Nicola, who is inexperienced in love. Raised in the Sicilian tradition, Nicola feels that his honor has been taken from him. Believing he has identified his rivals, Nicola stabs two of Brigitte’s friends to death. A trial follows, which Nicola sits through in silence. His German is too poor for him to understand what is actually going on. His defense lawyer wants him acquitted. Only at the end of the film does Nicola admit his guilt and resign himself to his fate.