It’s between the most famous festival in the world, an event that shaped a city, and also an untold story about Germany: it’s Oktoberfest: Beer & Blood.

The show is a German production of one season created and written by Christian Limmer, Ronny Schalk, and Alexis Wittgenstein. It was aired for the first time in Germany in 2020, before Netflix released it worldwide in May 2025. The creators’ starting point was to reconstruct how a small folk fair became one of the most famous festivals in the world. Stressing the thriller side of the plot and using techniques atypical for a historical drama, the show received good audience appreciation. The official organization of Oktoberfest objected that the show is only merely based on real events, opening a debate.

Different families, same big dream

When Curt Prank (Misel Maticevic) arrives in Munich from Nuremberg at the beginning of the 20th century, Oktoberfest is nothing but a local beer fair. Only six brewers have the permission to take part, guaranteeing the quality and the provenance of the product. Prank aims for something bigger, though, and acquires the permission to build a huge tent just near the festival area. An impressive structure, where he could serve his beer and stand above the others, destroying the monopoly.

Yet, he’s not the only ambitious brewer. Roman Hoflinger (Klaus Steinbacher), future heir of the brewery that supplies the King himself, would like to expand the business selling bottled beer. His father is too bound to tradition and rejects the idea, despite the increasing debts. Nevertheless, he remains Prank’s most fearsome rival: so, ready to do anything to achieve his goal, he recruits a hitman to kill Hoflinger.

But the two families’ destiny is bound in more than one way. One night, Prank’s daughter Clara (Nicole Mercedes Müller) convinces her lady-in-waiting (Brigitte Hobmeier) to take her to a party in the working-class area. There, she meets Roman Hoflinger and, following that night, the two families could have a single heir.

Between self-preservation and public success

Thinking about the Oktoberfest nowadays, it’s hard to believe it was born as a small beer festival.

As creators told in an interview to CBR, they intended to enlighten an untold part of German history, which is deeply bound to one of their most common meeting points: beer-halls.

Although many events are invented, the show offers a sincere portrayal of a folk revolution and Munich society. Prank never actually existed, but his character was inspired by Georg “Crocodile” Lang: a man from Nuremberg with the dream of a big tent with a big band playing music. His story has some points in common with Tom Shelby’s, the gipsy guy who aims to become master of Birmingham. The show depicts a city very similar to Peaky Blinders’ town: Munich is alive and modern, but also veiled by corruption, rejection of new arrivals, and mafia behavior. A multifaceted city rich in contrasts, as proved by the coexistence of a wealthy middle-class and the hardship of life in the suburbs, but that can be fertile land for a lively artistic, bohémien life.

Yet, some positive aspects of society emerge too, such as female solidarity and mutual help. A feeling that comes out as working-class strength through paralyzing strikes. So, as between the domestic walls, with a tender, though steady alliance recalling Little Women‘s protagonists. A strength that transforms into a union allows those women to take control of their lives.

Enlightening the past with modern shine

Cinematographer Felix Cramer took inspiration from Impressionist paintings and, in particular, the late-Romantic artist Anselm Feuerbach. A warm and vivid light pervades Oktoberfest, and the substantial change of shades underlines the different storylines.

The scenes regarding intrigues and hidden plots are dark, foggy, painted in a scale of grey and hints of color. On the contrary, the festive scenes under the tent, as well as the artists’ parties, assume lively and intense tints, that soften to pastel shades for love scenes. The narrative results are also thanks to the adoption of techniques typical of horror and thriller genres. Hectic camera movements, with vast use of aerial shots, and clear-cut framing choices give a dark tone to the historical narrative, recalling Penny Dreadful‘s atmosphere. Together with the fast-moving editing, these choices suggest a supernatural twist that never arrives, but increases the tension.

The score also contributes to the updating and involvement in the tale. Michael Klaukien mixes folk songs, rearranged in modern key, with electric and rock music, starting from the opening title. So, popular music creates a link with traditions and the past, while modern tracks highlight the newness of themes and dynamics. As a result, Oktoberfest not only narrates the dark side of a folk festival (or at least, a story inspired by actual events), but also instills how little things have changed over a century. And how much the search for success can seem like a horror tale.