Competition of a lifetime – The Story of Axel Mitbauer
DIRECTED BY
Antonio La Regina
YEAR
2025
LEAD CAST
Axel Mitbauer
Wolgang Kremer
Martin Binder
STARRING
Matthias Pechmann
Ulrike Poppe
Bernd Roth
Antonio la Regina
Thoughts from the Director
When I first heard Axel Mitbauer’s story, I was shaken — and at the same time deeply moved. A young man who grew up in the GDR, full of dreams, blessed with extraordinary athletic talent — yet trapped in a system that declared freedom a threat.
The moment in which he risked everything — his career, his future, his life — to flee to the West is not only a personal act of courage, but a powerful symbol of the struggle for self-determination. I knew immediately: this story had to be told. Not as a political lesson, but as a human drama.
As the journey of a person who resists the power of fear. Who refuses to accept a life determined by others. Axel Mitbauer stands for many who lived in the shadow of the Wall — and for all those who, even today, are still fighting against invisible walls.
With this film, I wanted to bring a piece of suppressed history into the light. I wanted to ask questions that go beyond Axel himself: What does freedom truly mean? How much are we willing to risk to gain it? And how do we deal with our past today — with everything we would rather forget?
“Competition of a lifetime – The Story of Axel Mitbauer” has become a very personal film. Not only for Axel, who once again revealed himself through his story, but also for me as a director. I learned to listen. I learned to read between the lines — the silence, the anger, the shame. And I came to understand how important it is to give these voices space. Especially today. This film is an invitation. To remember. To reflect. And perhaps — to break free.