Born to Fake
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?
Key Information
Photos
Cast & Crew
Michael Born
himself
Roland Berger
himself
Martin Lettmayer
himself
Dr. Gabriele Schuster
herself
Thomas Pritzl
himself
Frequently Asked Questions
Born to Fake was released on May 28, 2026.
The runtime of Born to Fake is 1h 32m.
Born to Fake is a Documentary movie.
Born to Fake is available to watch. Check streaming platforms and theaters near you.
Born to Fake was directed by Erec Brehmer.
The main cast of Born to Fake includes Michael Born, Roland Berger, Martin Lettmayer.
Born to Fake is originally in German.