Five Years

Five Years

Year: 2013

Runtime: 87 mins

Language: German

Director: Stefan Schaller

Drama

The film explores the perplexing circumstances that led Murat Kurnaz to Guantanamo Bay. It investigates the psychological impact of his prolonged and unjust detention, detailing the physical and mental suffering he experienced. The documentary examines the challenges and complexities of his ordeal.

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Timeline & Setting – Five Years (2013)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Five Years (2013). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Early 2000s

The events unfold in the post-9/11 era when detainees were detained under anti-terror measures without standard legal proceedings. The narrative emphasizes years of captivity, including a year of complete isolation, underscoring the erosion of due process during this period.

Location

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Bremen, Germany

The story centers on the six-square-meter cell in the US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. Detainees are held without explanation, evidence, or trial, highlighting the stark confinement and interrogation environment. The setting is used to critique the so-called Guantanamo system and its impact on basic rights.

🌍 Global politics 🕊️ Human rights ⛓️ Detention

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:45

Main Characters – Five Years (2013)

Meet the key characters of Five Years (2013), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Murat Kurnaz (Sascha Alexander Gersak)

A young man from Bremen of Turkish heritage who becomes the central figure in a system that detains him without charges or a fair trial. His endurance through interrogation, mistreatment, and isolation reveals resilience and a steadfast pursuit of dignity amid oppressive conditions.

🧭 Protagonist 💔 Trauma 🛡️ Resilience

Murat Kurnaz’ Mutter (Siir Eloğlu)

A mother whose family is torn by her son's detention, embodying the personal cost of political decisions. Her perspective highlights fear, concern, and enduring hope for his innocence and release.

👪 Family 🕊️ Support 💔 Struggle

Murat Kurnaz’ Vater (Tayfun Bademsoy)

A father figure whose presence underscores the generational impact of the detention system. His responses reflect protective instinct, concern, and the emotional toll of a son’s prolonged captivity.

👨‍👦 Family 🛡️ Protector 🕊️ Hope

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:45

Major Themes – Five Years (2013)

Explore the central themes of Five Years (2013), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚖️ Justice

The film exposes the gap between formal law and its real-world application in the Guantanamo system. It shows detainees being processed without transparent charges or trials, prompting questions about accountability and the limits of security justifications.

🕊️ Human Rights

Murat Kurnaz's ordeal foregrounds basic rights such as liberty and humane treatment. By depicting mistreatment and prolonged confinement, the film invites reflection on international human rights norms and the consequences when they are sidelined.

⛓️ Detention

Detention is presented as a lived, brutal experience that shapes identity and hope. The cramped spaces, isolation, and relentless interrogations critique the legitimacy and human cost of long-term confinement in the name of security.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:45

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Gripping films about wrongful confinement like Five Years

Documentaries and dramas about wrongful confinement and the fight for justice.For viewers seeking movies like Five Years, this thread features powerful films about unjust imprisonment and government injustice. These similar documentaries and dramas explore the heavy emotional weight of fighting for freedom against overwhelming odds.

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Stories in this thread typically follow an innocent protagonist through a descent into a nightmarish legal or carceral system. The plot revolves around their endurance, the psychological battle against despair, and the often-difficult path toward exoneration or survival.

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These movies are united by their intense, bleak tone and heavy emotional weight, focusing on the real-world trauma of false accusation and isolation. They share a steady, methodical pacing that emphasizes the grim reality and prolonged nature of the ordeal.

Claustrophobic psychological stories with a tone like Five Years

Stories where isolation and confinement become a source of profound psychological horror.If you appreciated the oppressive, isolating atmosphere of Five Years, this thread collects movies with a similar claustrophobic feel. These films explore psychological trauma and confinement, delivering a heavy, tense viewing experience for fans of intense dramas.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a character or group being physically or mentally trapped, with the environment itself becoming an antagonist. The story unfolds as a slow-burn examination of their psychological deterioration, resilience, or transformation under extreme pressure.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their overwhelmingly oppressive and claustrophobic mood, high intensity, and focus on psychological trauma. They share a bleak tone and steady pacing that allows dread to build, making the viewer feel the weight of the character's confinement.

Unlock the Full Story of Five Years

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Five Years Summary

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Five Years Summary

Five Years Timeline

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Five Years Timeline

Five Years Spoiler-Free Summary

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Five Years Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Five Years

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