Head-On (Gegen die Wand in German) follows the turbulent and emotionally charged relationship between Cahit and Sibel. Cahit is a troubled German-Turkish man who spends his nights drinking and getting into fights, while Sibel is a young Turkish woman living in Hamburg, Germany who feels trapped by her conservative family's expectations of her.
Desperate to break free from her suffocating life, Sibel proposes a radical idea: she will marry Cahit, a complete stranger, so she can escape her family and live a more independent life. Cahit reluctantly agrees, and the two embark on a tumultuous journey of love, lust, and self-destruction.
As they struggle to navigate their volatile relationship, Cahit and Sibel confront their own personal demons and cultural differences. Cahit's alcoholism and self-destructive tendencies threaten to tear them apart, while Sibel's desire for freedom and individuality clashes with her traditional upbringing.
Head-On is a raw and powerful exploration of identity, love, and the immigrant experience in Germany. It won the Golden Bear award for Best Film at the 2004 Berlin International Film Festival and catapulted director Fatih Akin to international fame.