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Biopics about musical artists seem to be pumped out without much consideration of whether or not the artist in question has a story that’s really worth telling. But Giwar “Xatar” Hajabi, a Kurdish rapper famous in Germany, has a genuinely extraordinary life story, having gone from an Iranian refugee who spent time as a child in a Bagdad prison to a gangster to a highly successful artist and businessman. It’s the type of rags-to-riches ascent that you couldn’t script better — which makes it a shame that the thoroughly mediocre “Rhinegold” can’t shape Habaji’s life into anything particularly engaging.

“Rhinegold” comes from director Fatih Akin, a Golden Bear winner for his 2004 breakout film “Head-On,” whose other achievements include a Best Screenplay prize for 2007’s “The Edge of Heaven” and a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film for 2017’s “In the Fade.” Despite Akin’s obvious pedigree...

"Life writes its own story." Strand Releasing has debuted their own official US trailer for the German film titled Rhinegold (originally written as Rheingold in German for their release), from the Turkish-German director Fatih Akin. This already opened in Germany back in 2022 - we posted the trailer back then as well. It didn't have much of an impact, and I doubt anyone in the US will be watching this movie either. Fatih Akin's Rhinegold captures the life of German hip-hop rapper, entrepreneur, and ex-convict Giwar Hajabi - best known by his stage name "X A T A R" or Xatar. Born to Kurdish parents in Iran, he was imprisoned in Iraq for being Kurdish. From the hell of that Iraqi prison, Giwar Hajabi came to Germany as a young boy with his family in the mid-1980s and fought through even more challenges to make a name for himself in music.

"How do we record an album in jail?" The Match Factory has revealed an official trailer for Rheingold, a new film from acclaimed Turkish-German director Fatih Akin. He last made the exceptionally disgusting film The Golden Glove which almost ended his career. Next up is this one - premiering at the Hamburg Film Festival before it opens in Germany in October. Fatih Akin's Rheingold captures the life of German hip-hop rapper, entrepreneur, and ex-convict Giwar Hajabi - best known by his stage name "X A T A R" or Xatar. Born to Kurdish parents in Iran, he was imprisoned in Iraq for being Kurdish. From the hell of that Iraqi prison, Giwar Hajabi came to Germany as a young boy with his family in the mid-1980s and fought through even more challenges to make a name for himself. Emilio Sakraya stars as Giwar, with a cast including Mona Pirzad,...