This 1999 version of Erich Kästner’s novel centers around a young boy and girl who are best friends with completely different home lives. Anton’s situation (single mother who is sick and unable to work) may be relatable for many of our students. This film is filled with big-name actors!
Elea Geissler plays Pünktchen (Annaluise). She has also been in a couple Bibi Blocksberg films, playing Arkadia. She doesn’t appear to have been in anything in the past decade, however.
Max Felder, who plays Anton, is still active as an actor, though he mostly does TV now. He was in Coming In just a few years ago. Pünktchen und Anton was his first professional project.
Anton’s boss in the ice cream parlor is played by Benno Fürmann. He has been a staple in German film since the 1990s. My favourite roles of his are the behind-the-scenes-bad-guys. He’s also bridged into American film in this time. Among his most famous projects are Joyeux Noel, The Order, Der Krieger und die Kaiserin, Anatomie, Ring of the Nibelungs, Die Wilden Hühner and its sequels, Speed Racer, Nordwand, Tom Sawyer, and Der blinde Fleck. Lucky for us, most of these are even appropriate for the classroom! The German ones will have their own post.
Pünktchen’s mother is played by Juliane Köhler. She has also been in many popular projects. Der Untergang and Nirgendwo in Afrika may be the most known of them.
August Zirner, Pünktchen’s father in the film, was born in the U.S., but has lived in Europe since the 1970s. His grandfather was an Austrian composer, which might be a fun point for some students. (I know my students love learning about Sandra Bullock’s Austrian connection!) Zirner has been in popular projects as well over the years. Among the German ones are: Der blinde Fleck, Berlin ’36, Die Fälscher, Amen., and Bella Martha.
Pünkchen und Anton is a children’s film, and while it does have big talking points for discussion, there is nothing questionable here.