The work of filmmaker Thomas Arslan The work of filmmaker Thomas Arslan is characterized by his exploration of spaces and identities in transition. Through precisely and sensitively composed imagery, Arslan traces individual lives and fragile identities. Many of his films explore moments of upheaval and transformation since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The changing city of Berlin, closely intertwined with the daily lives of its inhabitants, becomes itself a protagonist in Arslan's films.

Together with Christian Petzold and Angela Schanelec, Arslan is considered one of the co-founders of the so-called “Berlin School.” Since 2007, Arslan has been teaching as a professor of narrative film at the Berlin University of the Arts.