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Crime Cult Classic

A harrowing dramatization of obsession, desire, and a crime that shocked the world.

CANNIBAL

2006 · 1h 29m · NR · Crime / Drama / Horror / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

An internet advertisement placed by a man with a cannibalistic obsession brings yields a willing victim to serve up his own flesh in this dramatic account of the crime that shocked the world.

Quick Answer

What is Cannibal about?

Cannibal is a 2006 German crime, drama, horror, and thriller film directed by Marian Dora about a man with cannibalistic fantasies who finds a willing victim through the internet.

Programmer's Pick

Cannibal doesn’t just flirt with the taboo—it devours it whole. Marian Dora’s film offers a disturbing meditation on obsession and consent, with a clinical eye for the grotesque and the tragic.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Cannibal opens with a mother reading Hansel and Gretel to her child, setting a storybook tone that quickly gives way to darker realities. In the present, a solitary man seeks connection online, but his desires are far from ordinary—he searches for someone willing to fulfill his cannibalistic fantasies. After several failed or hostile encounters, he meets 'The Flesh,' a suicidal man from Berlin who is willing to be killed and consumed. The two form a strange and intimate bond, indulging in nudity and sexual acts at the man's rural home, pushing the boundaries of obsession and consent. Inspired by a real crime, this film is an uncompromising exploration of taboo, desire, and nihilism.

Details & Specs

Director
Marian Dora
Writer
Marian Dora
Release
2006
Runtime
1h 29m
Country
Germany
Language
English

Why This Matters

This film marks the feature debut of Marian Dora, exemplifying German exploitation horror with its direct-to-video release and transgressive subject matter.
— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Marian Dora Writer: Marian Dora

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Why Cult

Based on True Crime

Inspired by the infamous case of Armin Meiwes, this film dramatizes real events that shocked Germany and the world.

Unflinching Cannibalism

Cannibal explores its subject with explicit, graphic detail, refusing to look away from the darkest corners of human desire.

Queer Transgression

The film centers a homosexual dynamic, examining obsession, sexual fantasy, and gay interest within its disturbing narrative.

Nihilistic Atmosphere

Themes of hopelessness and despair permeate the story, creating a stark and unsettling emotional landscape.

Scene Gallery

Threat File

Trigger

Internet advertisement seeking a willing victim

Threat

Cannibalistic obsession of The Man

Effect

Leads to murder, mutilation, and consumption of a volunteer

Setting

The Man's rural home

Questions from the Vault

When was Cannibal released? +

Cannibal was released in 2006.

Who directed Cannibal? +

Cannibal was directed by Marian Dora.

How long is Cannibal? +

Cannibal has a runtime of 89 minutes.

What genre is Cannibal? +

Cannibal is a crime, drama, horror, and thriller film.

Trailers & Clips