Synopsis: An elderly Jewish woman is found dead in the corridor of a New York hotel. Her son, David Fish, meets a young set-designer, Lena Katz, who appears to be involved in the mysterious circumstances of his mother's death. In the course of their investigation, a mutual attraction grows, but the suspicions of David's sleazy lawyer Charles Kaminski lead directly to Lena's family, threatening to undermine their relationship. Torn between their emotion and fear of the past, David and Lena finally uncover a crime that tragically links their families.

Cast:
Maria Schrader .... Lena Katz
Dani Levy .... David Fish
David Strathairn .... Charles Kaminski
Nicole Heesters .... Lena's Mother
Jeffrey Wright .... Win
Lynn Cohen .... David's Mother
Lukas Ammann .... Max Weiss

Favorite Quotes:
• "Your friend nearly killed me. She set my whole fucking life on fire. Now she's going to help us." - Charles Kaminski

• David: "Got a new face, Mr. Kaminski?"
Charles Kaminski: "No, just got the old one back."

Notes:
• The Giraffe, an independent German picture, was directed by Dani Levy, who also starred in the film. Majority of filming took place in New York.
• The German title for the film is Meschugge.

Related Links:
http:// Official German Site