When a celebrated professor turns out to have built her entire public identity on a lie, one student’s admiration turns into an obsession with uncovering the truth. But what happens when the person you looked up to is no longer the person you thought you knew?

Based on Mithu Sanyal’s 2021 novel, “IDENTITTI” follows Nivedita Anand (Amanda Babaei Vieira), a half-Polish, half-Indian student at the University of Düsseldorf, whose admiration for Professor Saraswati (Stephanie Eidt), a prominent voice in postcolonial theory, takes an unexpected turn. When Nivedita discovers that the professor, whose real name is Sarah Vera Thielmann, is actually white and has been presenting herself as a woman of colour, the revelation sends shockwaves through the university and beyond. As Saraswati faces public backlash and accusations of cultural appropriation, Nivedita finds herself caught between defending her former idol, questioning her motives and reconsidering her own sense of identity.

At its core, “IDENTITTI” explores the complex relationship between identity, self-perception and the expectations society places on us. Where does cultural identification end and appropriation begin? Can someone genuinely feel they belong to a culture that is not their own, and who gets to decide whether that identity is valid? Even the professor’s chosen name, Saraswati, carries another layer of meaning: in Hindu mythology, the goddess Saraswati represents knowledge, wisdom and the arts, making it an especially loaded choice for a woman whose entire academic career revolves around these very subjects. The film deliberately leaves room for contradictions, resisting easy answers while examining the increasingly blurred lines between personal identity and public perception.

For Nivedita, however, the revelation is also deeply personal. Having placed Saraswati on a pedestal, she struggles to reconcile the woman she admired with the person behind the carefully constructed identity. Caught between her loyalty to her former mentor and the anger of fellow students who feel betrayed, she finds herself increasingly questioning where her own sympathies lie.

Adding another, more fantastical dimension to the story is Kaali (Sabrina Setlur), the Hindu goddess of destruction and transformation, who appears as Nivedita’s imaginary companion and alter ego. Acting as something of a personal guide, she challenges Nivedita’s assumptions and encourages her to find her own voice.

Rather than following a conventional narrative structure, “IDENTITTI“ unfolds in fragmented episodes, with choreography by Constanza Macras bringing an additional physical dimension to the story. Collective movements, rhythmic stomping and carefully staged group sequences create an increasingly charged atmosphere. A sudden and deeply unsettling event marks a turning point in the story, bringing the reality of right-wing violence into a narrative that until then has largely revolved around academic debates and questions of identity. Moving between satire, absurdity and more sobering moments, the film also touches on cancel culture, public accountability and the often unpredictable dynamics of social media.

“IDENTITTI” opens in German cinemas on 12 November 2026.