Bad Banks (released 2018)

About Bad Banks

Bad Banks is a gripping high-intensity TV series that was first released in 2018. The series is a captivating insight into the world of finance and banking, delving deep into the myriad intrigues and power struggles. The plot is centered around a young and ambitious banker Jana, who is wrongly fired from her job and then is propelled into a ruthless world of greed and corruption when she’s hired by a competing bank. Her intelligence, ambition and personal dynamics significantly affect the power dynamics in finance as she navigates her way through systemic and personal challenges in her career.

Making / Production

Bad Banks is a joint German and Luxembourgian television series. The series was directed by the talented Christian Schwochow, written by Oliver Kienle, and produced by Lisa Blumenberg. The production team undertook painstaking research to create an authentic atmosphere, with a high emphasis on accurately portraying the intense, fast-paced world of banking and finance.

Actors

• Paula Beer as Jana Liekam: Paula gives a riveting performance as Jana, breathing life into her character's ambition, intelligence, and grappling with ethical and moral dilemmas.
• Barry Atsma as Gabriel Fenger: Atsma skillfully portrays Fenger, a dynamic and ruthless head of investment banking.
• Désirée Nosbusch as Christelle Leblanc: Nosbush brilliantly brings to life the character of Leblanc, a shrewd and calculating woman navigating in a male-dominated world.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The series is filmed in multiple locations including Frankfurt, Luxembourg, and Berlin to give an accurate depiction of the financial world.
• Bad Banks has a strong female lead character, which is a significant step in breaking gender stereotypes in finance-themed series.

Awards

The series has received various awards, including but not limited to seven Grimme prizes, five Deutsche Fernsehpreis and Paula Beer taking the award for Best Actress at the Geneva International Film Festival.

Quotes

• "This is not about numbers but about power."
• "Money does not stink. It doesn’t care who earns it."

Music, Soundtrack

• "The Opening Theme" - An intense piece that sets the mood for the high-stakes world of finance.
• "Jana's Theme" - A track that underscores the character's journey and ambivalence in the series.