After graduation, for Tobias the geek there is but one thing: to become a student of informatics as soon as possible and to absorb all knowledge available. For him, the network cable is the path that leads to freedom. Soon he finds like-minded people, founds a group of hackers and more and more loses himself in a demi-world consisting of data and hacks. When his group hacks into the system of the pharmaceutical company Volic and unveils volatile data, the company’s head of IT security takes up their trail. It’s the beginning of an unnerving game of cat-and-mouse. With *_Grey Hat_*, *Emanuel Brod*, who studies at the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, succeeds in creating an exciting hacker drama. His work fascinates both as a powerful character study as well as a stylistically confident and resourceful film, which skillfully plays with the conventions of the genre. Therefore, the film received the *Hessischer Hochschulfilmpreis* [Hessian university film award] in 2015, deservedly so. Incidentally, the Frankfurt native *Mala Emde* is to be seen in a supporting role, who celebrated her big break in "*_Meine Tochter Anne Frank_*":http://www.lichter-filmfest.de/de/programm/programmuebersicht-2016.html?film_id=575 last year.

Quoting the reasoning of the jury for the Hessischer Hochschulfilmpreis:_“With a great ensemble of actors and an astonishing abundance of visually appealing ideas his professionally produced film turns the computer’s inside out. Stylistically confident the film draws on pertinent genre patterns. This outstanding performance of the direction and the team is awarded the Hessischer Hochschulfilmpreis.”_