Born to Fake (2026)
Born to Fake (2026)
In 1996, one of the biggest media scandals in German history shook the public: Michael Born, a self-made journalist, had faked over twenty reports for the newly established private television station between 1990 and 1996. Some seemed amateurish, others dealt with absurd topics: child labor for IKEA in India, drug addicts licking toads to get high, and the Ku Klux Klan in the Eifel region were just some of his numerous fabrications. How did it come to this? Was Michael Born an enlightened figure who subversively exposed the tabloid system, a victim of the system, or simply a bumbling fraud? Film traces Michael Born's footsteps. Put together from hundreds of hours of raw material and the memories of former companions, an incredible story of forgery emerges. A media-theoretical film about levels of reality, fake news, and the question: Why do we actually believe what we see?

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Cast

Michael Born Michael Born As: himself
Roland Berger Roland Berger As: himself
Martin Lettmayer Martin Lettmayer As: himself
Dr. Gabriele Schuster Dr. Gabriele Schuster As: herself
Thomas Pritzl Thomas Pritzl As: himself
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Storyline

In 1996, one of the biggest media scandals in German history shook the public: Michael Born, a self-made journalist, had faked over twenty reports for the newly established private television station between 1990 and 1996. Some seemed amateurish, others dealt with absurd topics: child labor for IKEA in India, drug addicts licking toads to get high, and the Ku Klux Klan in the Eifel region were just some of his numerous fabrications. How did it come to this? Was Michael Born an enlightened figure who subversively exposed the tabloid system, a victim of the system, or simply a bumbling fraud? Film traces Michael Born's footsteps. Put together from hundreds of hours of raw material and the memories of former companions, an incredible story of forgery emerges. A media-theoretical film about levels of reality, fake news, and the question: Why do we actually believe what we see?


Tagline:
Certification: Unknown

Details

Genres: Documentary

Language: Deutsch

Release Date: 28 May 2026

Country: DE

Runtime: 92m

Company Credits

Company: MSZ Production and Consulting, SWR

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Cast

Directed By

Writing Credits

Production Crew

Edited By

Costume and Makeup

Not currently known.

Sound

Visual Effects

Not currently known.

Camera

Pius Neumaier

Pius Neumaier

Director of Photography

Julian Krubasik

Julian Krubasik

Director of Photography

Lighting

Not currently known.

Art Department

Not currently known.

Other Crew

Not currently known.

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