Filming for Robert Thalheim's new cinema film "Don't be a Stranger" has begun in the Black Forest. Filming is currently taking place in Enzklösterle, among other places. Thalheim co-wrote the screenplay with Nicole Armbruster.

At the centre of the story is 17-year-old New Yorker Charles, who is supposed to spend an exchange year with a family of musicians in Berlin at the request of his two mothers. Instead of the capital, however, he ends up on a cattle farm in the remote Black Forest. Fränk, a western fan, lives there and has built up his own dream of freedom and adventure. For Charles, the stay quickly becomes a challenge: the image of America that he encounters there is alien to him - and he wants to get away again as quickly as possible.

The role of Charles is played by Salimou Thiam, Fränk is played by Sascha Geršak. Other roles are played by Susanne Bredehöft, Sonja Weißer, Katharina Behrens, Ludger Bökelmann, Waldemar Kobus, Joel Basman and Felician Hohnloser. Henner Besuch is the director of photography and Cosima Vellenzer is responsible for the production design.

Don't be a Stranger" is produced by Kundschafter Filmproduktion with producers Andreas Banz, Matthias Miegel, Robert Thalheim and Jasmin Saunders. Charlotte Selbach is involved as junior producer. The film is a co-production with SWR and Arte.

The project is being funded by the German Federal Film Board (FFA), MFG Baden-Württemberg and the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF). The cinema release is planned via the distributor Port-au-Prince.