Köln 75 (Cert 15)

Described by Variety as “a talent to be watched”, Ido Fluk was previously co-writer and director of the Tribeca competition title THE TICKET (2017) and the Edinburgh title NEVER TOO LATE (2011), which also won the Regard D’Or at FIFF. He is currently working on the HBO series EMPTY MANSIONS in collaboration with Joe Wright and the legal thriller 24 HOURS IN JUNE with James Schamus. Fluk is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and lives in New York, where he used to play in bands but no longer does.

MALA EMDE, born in 1996, stood in front of the camera for the first time as a schoolgirl. She took on her first leading role in 2010 in the KiKa series “Krimi.de”. Mala Emde attracted attention in the much-acclaimed docudrama “My Daughter Anne Frank” (2014) by Raymond Ley, for which she was awarded the Young Talent Award of the Bavarian Film Award. In the same year, Emde made her cinema debut in OFFLINE – LIFE IS NOT A BONUS LEVEL (2016) by Florian Schnell.
The feature film 303 (2015), shot in real time, for which Mala Emde worked with Hans Weingartner, attracted a lot of attention. She then appeared alongside Martina Gedeck and Matthias Brandt in the mystery thriller WIR TÖTEN STELLA (2017). In 2019, Mala Emde participated in the TV series “Charité” and in “Brecht”, among others. She graduated from the renowned Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts Berlin in the summer of 2020. As part of her training, she also completed a semester abroad at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts.

The first international project for Mala Emde was the ZDF thriller series “Shadowplay” (2020). She played the lead in AND TOMORROW THE WHOLE WORLD by Julia von Heinz premiering in Competition at the 77th Venice International Film Festival and garnering her the Bisato d’Oro prize for best performance awarded by the independent film critics.

From 2021 to 2023, Mala Emde was a member of the permanent ensemble of Theater Basel as well as starring in two seasons of the German Television Award-winning series “Oh Hell” (2022, 2024). Recent cinema appearances include Alex Schaad’s AUS MEINER HAUT (2022), and the adaptation Barbara Albert’s bestselling novel DIE MITTAGSFRAU (2023).

JOHN MAGARO is a prolific actor in film, television, and theatre. Recent appearances include a leading role in Tim Fehlbaum’s Oscar-nominated SEPTEMBER 5 (2024), which celebrated its world premiere in Venice and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Film. He just premiered in Sundance with OMAHA (2025) by Cole Webley. Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Frankenstein story THE BRIDE! (2025), in which he stars alongside Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Jake Gyllenhaal, Penélope Cruz and Peter Sarsgaard, as well as Kelly Reichardt’s THE MASTERMIND (2025) are forthcoming. He also has a role in the series “The Agency” (2024). John’s previous films include Celine Song’s PAST LIVES (2023), THE SHALLOW TALE OF A WRITER WHO DECIDED TO WRITE ABOUT A SERIAL KILLER (2024) by Tolga Karaçelik, DAY OF THE FIGHT (2023) by Jack Huston, LaROY, TEXAS (2023) by Shane Atkinson, BIG GEORGE FOREMAN (2023) by George Tillman Jr., Kelly Reichardt’s SHOWING UP (2022) with Michelle Williams (Cannes 2022), and CALL JANE by Phyllis Nagy (Sundance 2022). Magaro played a supporting role in THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK (2021), the prequel to the series “The Sopranos”, which reunited him with David Chase. Magaro already worked with Kelly Reichardt on her FIRST COW (Telluride 2019 and 70. Berlinale). At the 2020 New York Film Critics Circle Awards, “First Cow” was named Best Picture, and the National Board of Review selected it as one of the ten best films of that year. Magaro was nominated for a Gotham Award for his acting performance.
Magaro also starred in Adam McKay’s THE BIG SHORT (2015), whose ensemble was awarded by the National Board of Review and the Palm Springs Film Festival in 2015. As part of the ensemble, Magaro was also nominated for a Critics Choice Award and SAG Award.

Other titles in his filmography include THE FINEST HOURS (2016) by Craig Gillespie, CAROL (2015) by Todd Haynes, UNBROKEN (2014) by Angelina Jolie, NOT FADE AWAY (2012) by David Chase, which earned him the Hollywood Spotlight Award at the Hollywood Film Awards, LIBERAL ARTS (2012) by Josh Radnor, DOWN THE SHORE (2011) by Harold Guskin, MY SOUL TO TAKE (2010) by Wes Craven, THE BOX (2009) by Richard Kelly, LONG LEGS, SHORT LIES (2008) by Brett Simon, THE LIFE BEFORE MY EYES (2007) by Vadim Perelman and THE STRANGER IN YOU (2007) by Neil Jordan. Magaro’s television credits include “The Umbrella Academy” based on the comic book series of the same name by Gerard Way, the Amazon series “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” alongside John Krasinski and “Crisis In Six Scenes” alongside Rachel Brosnahan, Miley Cyrus, and Elaine May. He played recurring roles in series such as “Orange Is the New Black”, “The Good Wife” or “Taking Chance” with Kevin Bacon. He has made guest appearances in “Law & Order: SVU”, “Person of Interest”, “Body of Proof”, “Law & Order” and “Conviction”.

On stage, Magaro was seen at The Public Theater as Joe Papp in “Illyria” by Richard Nelson. He made his Broadway debut in a remarkable supporting role in the new production of Scott Rudin’s “The Front Page” directed by Jack O’Brien. He also played the male lead in the critically acclaimed “Tigers Be Still” by writer Kimberly Rosenstock and director Sam Gold for the Roundabout Theatre Company and was part of the ensemble of Rod McLauchlan’s “Good Television” in a production by Bob Krakower for the Atlantic Theater Company.

MICHAEL CHERNUS is best known for his role as Cal Chapman in the Netflix series “Orange Is the New Black”. He also had popular roles in the superhero film SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (2017) and the Apple TV+ series “Severance”, the second season of which has just started.

Chernus also starred in the 2023 thriller miniseries “Dead Ringers” starring Rachel Weisz, which won a Peabody Award. He can be seen as Dave von Ronk in James Mangold’s Bob Dylan film A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (2024) starring Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, and Elle Fanning.

Chernus was born in Rocky River, Ohio. He is a graduate of the acting department at the Juilliard School. An accomplished stage actor, he won an Obie Award in 2011 and received a nomination for the Lucille Lortel Award for his performance in Lisa Kron’s “In the Wake” at the Public Theater in New York City. On stage, he starred with David Hyde Pierce in the Manhattan Theatre Club’s production of “Close Up Space” at New York City Center. He starred in the Second Stage Theatre’s production of “Lips Together, Teeth Apart”, alongside America Ferrera.

Chernus has appeared in films such as MEN IN BLACK 3 (2012), CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (2013), THE BOURNE LEGACY (2012) and JACK AND DIANE (2012). Other film appearances include ALOHA (2015), THE DINNER (2017), THE MEYEROWITZ STORIES (2017), THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER (2018) and WEREWOLVES WITHIN (2021). In addition, he has appeared in series such as “Manhattan”, “Patriot”, “Easy”, “Tommy” and “Prodigal Son”. He has been cast in the title role in the upcoming Peacock series “Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy,” which is scheduled to air later this year.