Director Dennis Gansel was partially inspired by his grandfather, a former member of the National Political Academy (NAPOLA), which helped him understand the "seduction and psychology" behind fascism. Plot Summary

The film is a modernized adaptation of true events and previous literary works:

is a 2008 German socio-political thriller directed by Dennis Gansel that explores how easily fascist ideologies can take root in modern society . Set in a contemporary German high school, it follows a social experiment that spirals into a dangerous real-world movement. Historical and Literary Origins