The Team

Human trafficking, forced prostitution, drugs, money laundering, tax fraud, contract killings – the statistics on organized crime in Europe are staggering. To combat this, Europol has launched an initiative in The Hague to establish “Joint Investigation Teams,” or JITs – small, flexible investigative teams that conduct unbureaucratic, cross-border investigations.

The Team” tells the story of one such European investigative team, which has to solve a mysterious series of murders in Berlin, Copenhagen and Antwerp. Harald from Denmark, Jackie from Germany and Alicia from Belgium uncover the machinations of one of Europe’s largest and most ruthless criminal organizations. Their search for the heinous truth leads them into abysses of death and destruction and demands high personal sacrifices.

The body of a prostitute is found in Copenhagen. She was killed with a shot through her left eye and had a finger cut off. Only hours later, two more murdered women are found in Antwerp and Berlin. Again, they are prostitutes murdered in the same way – a shot through the left eye and a finger cut off. A “Joint Investigation Team” between Denmark, Germany and Belgium is formed. For team leader Harald Bjrn (Lars Mikkelsen) and his colleagues Jackie Mueller (Jasmin Gerat) and Alicia Verbeek (Veerle Baetens), the Belgian journalist Jean Louis Poquelin (Carlos Leal) first comes into focus as the main suspect in the murder series. To all appearances, he is planning more murders. But when a fourth woman is found shot dead and Jean Louis is kidnapped, the case takes on a much larger dimension. The trail leads back to the Cannes Film Festival six years earlier. And to a criminal organization that is a leader in Europe in human trafficking, illegal immigration, prostitution, bribery and corruption – a successful multinational “corporation” whose work leaves a trail of countless deaths and destroyed destinies. The undisputed head of this organization is Lithuanian businessman Marius Loukauskis (Nicholas Ofczarek), who has an unparalleled talent for ruthlessly satisfying the needs of the market.
Loukauskis has managed to become legally almost untouchable with a clever combination of official and unofficial business acumen, with excellent contacts with the establishment and the media.

The investigation takes the Joint Investigation Team all over Europe, from Berlin to Copenhagen, from Antwerp to The Hague to the Alps. In the process, it becomes clear how organized crime and the fates associated with it permeate and affect all levels of society – criminals and perpetrators, police and judiciary, politics and the media – and above all victims and their relatives. Shocking truths come to light and bitter setbacks must be accepted. International police cooperation is put to the test.

In addition to the main roles Jasmin Gerat, Lars Mikkelsen and Veerle Baetens play Nicholas Ofczarek, Carlos Leal, Miriam Stein, Nadeshda Brennicke, Sunnyi Melles, André Hennicke, Jella Haase and many others.

The screenplay was written by the Danish author couple Mai Brostrm and Peter Thorsboe. Their three series ‘Unit One’, ‘The Eagle’ and ‘Protectors’ each won the International Emmy for Best Drama Series.
Directed by Kathrine Windfeld (‘Hamilton’, ‘The Killing’, ‘The Bridge’) and Kasper Gaardse (‘The Protectors’).
Director of Photography: Morten Sborg (‘In a Better World’, ‘The Bridge’, ‘Valhalla Rising’), Jan Pallesen (‘Borgen’), Lars Vestergaard (‘Borgen’, Unit One’, ‘The Eagle’).

THE TEAM is a European co-production between Network Movie and ZDF.
Production partners are Lunanime, Nordisk Film, Superfilm, SVT, ARTE, ORF, VTM in cooperation with ZDF Enterprises, DR, SRF, RTS and C-Films.
THE TEAM was shot in five countries and in six languages.

Network Movie Cologne, Andi Wecker and Wolfgang Cimera. ZDF’s editorial team is headed by Wolfgang Feindt.