About The Billion Dollar Code

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• About
• Making / Production
• Actors
• Trivia / Interesting Facts
• Awards
• Quotes
• Music / Soundtrack

About

The Billion Dollar Code is a dramatic television series that premiered in 2021. It is set in the late 1990s during the dot-com bubble and follows the high-stakes world of technology start-ups in Germany. The show revolves around a group of young entrepreneurs who develop a revolutionary encryption algorithm that attracts the attention of both big tech companies and intelligence agencies.

The plot delves into the moral dilemmas faced by the main characters as they are torn between retaining control of their creation or selling it for millions of dollars. The series explores themes of ambition, loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of making choices in an ever-changing industry.

Making / Production

The Billion Dollar Code is a German production and was created by Hannes Stöhr. It was primarily filmed in Berlin and other locations in Germany to portray the tech scene of the late 1990s. The series is a collaboration between several production companies, including Pantaleon Films and ZDF Enterprises.

The showrunners aimed for authenticity by consulting with real tech entrepreneurs and industry experts from the time period. This attention to detail helped to recreate the atmosphere of the dot-com era and the challenges faced by start-ups during that time.

Actors

• Trystan Pütter as Max Grüneberg - the brilliant but idealistic coder who develops the billion-dollar algorithm.
• Joel Basman as Max's best friend and business partner, Bastian Voss.
• Vicky Krieps as Eva Voigt - a venture capitalist torn between her personal and professional interests.
• Albrecht Schuch as Benno Herzog - a rival tech entrepreneur with his own agenda.
• Anne Ratte-Polle as Angelika Weber - a seasoned journalist investigating the tech industry.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The Billion Dollar Code is inspired by the true story of the company CyNet, which developed a groundbreaking encryption algorithm called CertaCrypt during the 1990s.
• The series highlights the ethical challenges faced by tech start-ups and the impact of their decisions on society.
• Many scenes in the show were shot in the actual locations where the events took place, further enhancing the authenticity of the storytelling.

Awards

The Billion Dollar Code has received critical acclaim and has been honored with several awards, including Best Drama Series at the German Television Awards and the Grimme Preis.

Quotes

• "In this industry, loyalty only lasts until the next round of funding." - Max Grüneberg
• "Sometimes, the hardest decisions are the only right ones." - Eva Voigt
• "Innovation and disruption come at a cost." - Bastian Voss

Music / Soundtrack

The Billion Dollar Code features a captivating soundtrack that captures the spirit of the 1990s. The music includes a mix of popular tracks from the era, as well as original compositions that underscore the tension and drama of the storyline.