The German Response to <em>12 Angry Men</em>

12 Angry Men was well received by the German audience. It would be hard to find a German equivalent, since Germany is not a jury country. However, writer Bodo Kirchhoff and director Niki Stein created a film along the lines of 12 Angry Men. The TV film Die Konferenz (2004) depicts the deliberation of a teachers' conference on the fate of a young man accused of raping a fellow student.

Like 12 Angry Men, Die Konferenz addresses key social problems of its time. The main topic is gender relations. Tellingly, Die Konferenz has no dominant hero like Henry Fonda's Juror #8. The film also refrains from giving a comforting ending.