Discover the screenplays

In the vibrant city of Munich, Germany, we meet Malik Cooper, a 20-year-old African-American student, on a crisp September day in 2006. With his studies coming to an end, Malik prepares to journey back to his home in the bustling heart of New York. We also meet members of his social group, including his doting girlfriend Tyra, good friend Edwin, and party-animal athlete Malcolm. We see Edwin try to seduce a local girl by touting his connection to famous musicians.

Malik has to go to get his school transcript, a simple task that ends up taking longer than it ought to. On his way to the airport, his car breaks down, further delaying him as he’s forced to sell the vehicle to a passerby who stops to help him. He arrives late at the airport and it seems now to be a given that he will miss his essential connecting flight from Frankfurt to New York.

His efforts to secure a seat or any alternate route are all defeated. He finally manages to get a seat on the next day’s flight, but he must pay an additional hundred Euro fee in Frankfurt airport. They will not accept his credit card initially when he attempts to pay this fee, forcing him to seek a means of getting the requisite cash.

We also meet Julius Ndango, a fiery tongued and energetically ambitious African refugee who is apprehended by immigration authorities for trying to use a fake passport and visa. Julius tries to brand the employees as being racist and states that he’s seeking asylum in Germany. He cites United Nation articles to prove his point that he’s being unjustly detained, but is held nonetheless.

At the Volks Bank location within the airport, Malik undertakes a routine task — depositing 600 euros into his credit card account to cover the flight penalty for missing his original return trip. The hitch in this seemingly straightforward plan? A minuscule 75 cent debt lurking in his account, a debt that, under the watchful eye of stringent student account policies, effectively locks his funds.

As Malik endeavors to book a new flight, the relentless hands of time deal him a cruel blow. He misses his 1 PM flight from Munich to Frankfurt, and Lufthansa, in a gesture that could be considered ruthless, slaps him with a 100 euro penalty for the tardy booking.

A ray of hope shines through when Mrs. Hilbert, the compassionate bank manager, steps in. She attempts to navigate the labyrinthine system and implores her seemingly heartless senior supervisor, Rose Anthea, to release Malik’s funds to settle the penalty. Unfortunately, Rose’s reluctance leaves Malik in a desperate predicament.

With no other recourse, Malik finds himself trapped in an unbearable purgatory at Frankfurt Airport, a stark contrast to the vibrant life of the city he had just left behind. For four agonizing days, he sleeps fitfully on uncomfortable chairs, his stomach gnawing with hunger. The 100 euro penalty, now doubled to 200, looms like a formidable obstacle, and the bank remains resolute in denying him access to his own money.

As desperation mounts, Malik resorts to selling his phone to scrape together 100 euros, a last-ditch attempt to break free from this nightmare. However, fate deals him another harsh blow as he’s swindled out of a fair price, leaving him with a fraction of the amount he needs.

Amidst this despair, Malik’s path crosses with Arona, a kind-hearted airport worker. He not only provides Malik shelter in a detention cell but also shares a humble burger, a gesture that transcends mere charity and embodies humanity.

Begging for money from indifferent passengers becomes a heart-wrenching endeavor for Malik, a desperate plea for help met with cold indifference. The bank’s unforgiving stance persists, holding his accounts hostage.

In a moment of sheer desperation, Malik attempts to rob an ATM and, in a frenzied act, assaults a man. This leads to his arrest, a dark chapter in his journey. Yet, even in this dire situation, Arona empathizes with Malik’s plight and extends an empathetic hand by releasing him.

Amid this despair, Malik’s path crosses with Julius, grappling with being jailed for the fake documents. Both men are ensnared in the bureaucratic quagmire of Frankfurt Airport, and Julius recognizes the desperation in Malik’s eyes. He understands that only audacious action can extricate them from this Kafkaesque nightmare. Working together, they manage to break out of their confines and escape the airport.

Their camaraderie blossoms as Julius persuades a weary Malik to take matters into their own hands. The Frankfurt Volks Bank becomes an unlikely stage for their audacious plan – taking hostages, including patrons and employees, to make a single demand: a chartered Lufthansa flight destined for New York, exclusively for them and the flight crew.

Detective Black, the lead negotiator for the local police, steps in, aiming to defuse the situation peacefully. He works tirelessly with Malik and Julius to secure their requested flight. In a moment of remarkable bravery, Mrs. Hilbert secures the payment for the chartered flight by exposing Rose Anthea’s malfeasance and having her account debited. This act of courage becomes the linchpin that finally secures Malik’s victory over the bureaucratic quagmire.

However, the situation takes a perilous turn when Chief Randall, driven by bigotry and arrogance, intervenes, sabotaging the delicate negotiation process. Ignoring Detective Black’s wisdom, Randall orders a German SWAT team, led by the overzealous Captain Huberman, to storm the bank. Chaos erupts, and Julius sustains life-threatening gunshot wounds, while an innocent Russian bank customer falls victim to the crossfire between police and suspects.

Amidst the chaos, Chief Randall, with his arrogance and political ambitions, attempts to leverage the crisis for publicity. A power struggle ensues with Detective Black, who stands as the voice of reason and morality. However, tragedy strikes, and Randall’s true colors are exposed on live TV, leading to his removal from duty.

Meanwhile, inside the bank, Malik forges an unexpected bond with the hostages by sharing a source of solace – marijuana. This seemingly unconventional act ultimately leads to a thoughtful discussion that transcends the boundaries of captor and captive, humanizing both sides of the crisis.

Detective Black eventually regains command. He secures a passage for Julius and Malik to New York on their chartered Lufthansa flight. Julius, clinging to life, extracts a solemn promise from Malik – to deliver his cherished personal effects to his sister, Jossy, who resides in New York, ensuring his memory lives on through this connection.

Touching down at JFK Airport in New York, Malik’s arrival is anything but ordinary. While peacefully taken into custody by awaiting police, he is celebrated as a folk hero by a throng of supporters. Tears of joy flow as he reunites with his loving mother, sister, girlfriend Tyra, and best friend Edwin. In a poignant moment, Malik fulfils his pledge to Julius by handing over his personal effects to Jossy.

Despite the gravity of the laws Malik has broken, public opinion overwhelmingly supports him, a testament to the shocking racism, cruelty, and excessive force displayed by the German authorities. Following a one-year prison sentence, Malik marries Tyra and becomes a prominent advocate for social justice and reform, partnering with the United Nations.

This epic tale circles back to where it all began – New York. Malik left America as a student and returns as a man whose audacious determination has been forged through adversity, thanks to Julius, the catalyst who awakened his resilience. The story, rich with characters like Detective Black, symbolizing morality and reason, and Police Chief Randall, emblematic of entrenched racism and police brutality, as well as Mrs. Hilbert, representing empathy in powerful institutions, invites us to ponder the complexities of justice and the indomitable human spirit.

In summation, this odyssey intricately chronicles Malik’s harrowing four-day journey through the labyrinthine bureaucracy and prejudiced authorities. Along this tumultuous path, he discovers hidden wellsprings of courage and forms an unlikely bond, ultimately returning home to New York forever transformed by his epic journey.