Brief

Michał Marczak to Direct Narrative Debut ‘Perfection’ About Berlin Millennials

The project adapts Vincenzo Latronico’s novel and brings together producers from Germany, the UK and Italy.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 23 Oct 2026 18:13:25 GMT

Polish documentarist Michał Marczak, known for the Sundance‑winning documentary “All These Sleepless Nights”, is set to make his narrative feature debut with “Perfection”, a drama about hipster millennials in Berlin, Variety reported on Oct. 23.

What happened

“Perfection” adapts the eponymous novel by Italian author Vincenzo Latronico, which was shortlisted for the 2025 International Booker Prize and has been translated and sold in more than 40 countries. The story follows an expat couple, Anna and Tom, living as digital creatives in 2010s Berlin, immersed in slow cooking, Danish furniture, sexual experimentation and the city’s 24‑hour party scene. As the novel’s synopsis notes, their idealised lifestyle gives way to dissatisfaction, repetitive work, and friends moving away or starting families. Their attempts at political activism feel futile, leading them to increasingly radical steps in search of authenticity.

What the reports add

Variety identified three co‑producers: German producer Roman Paul of Razor Film (known for “Quo Vadis, Aida?”), Britain’s Andrea Calderwood, head of indie Potboiler Productions, and Italy’s Marta Donzelli of Vivo Film (behind “The Last One for the Road”). Donzelli secured the book‑rights deal after negotiations with Claire Sabatíe‑Garat, Latronico’s literary agent.

What was said

Roman Paul told Variety at the Rome MIA Market that he has lived in Berlin since 1998 and that his company’s younger producers, many expats or Berlin‑born, have long wanted an original IP about the city’s 2010s boom. Andrea Calderwood said early social‑media optimism about digital nomad life inspired the story, adding that the novel’s perfect form suggests a film with “universal access and appeal.”

How it came about

Marczak’s transition from documentary to narrative aligns with his recent success at Sundance, while the international production team reflects a broader trend of cross‑border collaborations on literary adaptations. The novel’s global reach—over 40 countries—provided a ready‑made audience, and the Berlin setting taps into renewed interest in the city’s cultural renaissance during the 2010s.

Key facts

• Michał Marczak is directing his narrative feature debut "Perfection". (variety.com)
• The film adapts Vincenzo Latronico's novel, shortlisted for the 2025 International Booker Prize. (variety.com)
• Producers include Roman Paul (Razor Film), Andrea Calderwood (Potboiler Productions), and Marta Donzelli (Vivo Film). (variety.com)
• The story follows Berlin expat couple Anna and Tom, digital creatives in the 2010s. (variety.com)
• Claire Sabatié‑Garat is the literary agent who negotiated the book rights. (variety.com)

Sources

• [1] variety.com — originally reported as “‘Closure’ Director Michal Marczak Set for Narrative Feature Debut With ‘Perfection,’ About Hipster Millennials in Berlin (EXCLUSIVE)”