No Beast. So Fierce.
Kein Tier. So Wild.
Directed by Burhan QurbaniCast: Kenda Hmeidan, Hiam Abbass, Verena Altenberger, Mona Zarreh Hoshyari Khah, Mehdi Nebbou
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Burhan Qurbani (Berlin Alexanderplatz) reinterprets Shakespeare’s Richard III as a modern gang war between two rival Arabic clans in Berlin. Rashida, the York family’s lawyer and youngest daughter, shatters a long-standing conflict with a bloody coup, only to find herself sidelined by a patriarchal criminal underworld. Refusing to remain a pawn, she seduces and kills her way to the crown, eventually ascending to a “kingdom of dust” where her power is haunted by childhood memories of war and a wounded soul. Visually austere and dialogue-driven, No Beast. So Fierce. is an atmospheric retelling that transforms a classic tragedy into a relentless, contemporary struggle for female agency and dominance.
About the Goethe Forum
Presented by the Cultural Programs of the Goethe-Institut San Francisco, The Goethe Forum provides a platform for exploring contemporary socio-political issues through diverse voices and perspectives. Each year’s film is chosen for its ability to challenge, empower, and spark meaningful exchange. While the film selected for The Goethe Forum may leave us with more questions than answers, they undeniably compel us to confront and critically engage with the future of our pluralistic societies and the pressing issues that define them.
Dates & Times
SFMOMA’s Phyllis Wattis Theater
March 21, 2026
6:15 pm
