Har­ry Pot­ter 3: The Pri­so­ner of Az­ka­ban

Reluctantly, 13-year-old Harry Potter (DANIEL RADCLIFFE) has once again spent his summer holidays with his obnoxious relatives, the Dursleys – but he is very “well behaved” and doesn’t try any magic tricks – at least until Uncle Vernon’s tyrannical sister, Aunt Marge (PAM FERRIS), comes to visit. Aunt Marge treats Harry particularly badly – she makes him so angry that he “accidentally” blows her up like a gigantic balloon and lets her fly away!

Afraid of his aunt and uncle, Harry flees into the night – not least because he fears repercussions at Hogwarts or at the Ministry of Magic, which strictly prohibits students from practicing magic in the non-magical world.

He is immediately picked up by the Knight Bus, a fantastic three-story purple bus, which drops him off at the Leaky Cauldron Inn in no time. There, Harry is received by Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic, who surprisingly does not punish him for his unauthorized practice of magic, but instead insists that Harry spends the night in the Leaky Cauldron and then begins his third year of training at Hogwarts.
It quickly becomes clear that the dangerous and enigmatic wizard Sirius Black (GARY OLDMAN) has escaped from Azkaban prison - it is said that he is looking for Harry. According to legend, Black was responsible for Lord Voldemort tracking down and ultimately killing Harry's parents; it is assumed that Black now wants to kill Harry too.
To make matters worse, the terrible prison guards of Azkaban, the Dementors, who are supposed to protect the students from Black, have taken up residence in the school. The Dementors suck the souls out of their victims, and unfortunately Harry seems to be more under their spell than his fellow students. Their eerie presence shakes the young wizard to the core, and he is practically helpless until Professor Lupin (DAVID THEWLIS), who is responsible for defense against the dark arts, teaches Harry how to use the Patronus spell to protect himself against the paralyzing power of the Dementors.
In his third year at Hogwarts, Harry also gets to know exciting new mythical creatures like Buckbeak: a magical animal of the "hippogriff" species - half horse, half eagle. He meets the spooky professor of divination, Sibyll Trelawney (EMMA THOMPSON), and the omen of death known as "Grimm". Exciting adventures take him on secret trips to the magical village of Hogsmeade, he deciphers the secrets of the Marauder's Map and experiences the horrors of the Shrieking Shack, which is haunted by more ghosts and spirits than any other house in Britain.
Harry also tries to understand Hermione's (EMMA WATSON) strange appearance and disappearance. He is helped by Ron (RUPERT GRINT) and the giant Hagrid (ROBBIE COLTRANE), who is promoted to teacher for the care of magical creatures at Hogwarts.
A confrontation between Harry and the menacing Sirius Black seems inevitable. But what exactly does Professor Lupin have to do with Black? What dark secret does Professor Snape (ALAN RICKMAN) want to reveal? And why is Scabbers, the rat that Ron keeps as a pet, running away from him so frantically?
Harry must summon up all his courage and use all his extraordinary skills; he needs all the help he can get to answer these questions and unravel the secret that connects the gifted young wizard's past with Sirius Black.
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Film genre: Adventure Family film Fantasy
Access age / Recommended age:
Country of production: UK / USA (2004)
Duration: 142'
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, Michael Gambon, Robbie Coltrane