The Sedona International Film Festival presents the Northern Arizona premiere of “13 Minutes,” showing Friday through Thursday, Sept. 1 through 7, at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre.

The German film “13 Minutes” tells the true story of the man minutes away from almost killing Adolf Hitler.

During Hitler’s anniversary speech on Nov. 8, 1939, a man was arrested on the Swiss border for possession of suspicious objects. Just minutes later, a bomb exploded in the Munich Bürgerbräukeller, immediately behind the Führer’s lectern, killing eight people.

The man was Georg Elser, a carpenter from Königsbronn in the Swabia region. When a map of the site of the assault and detonators were found on him, he was sent to the head of the Criminal Police in the Reichssicherheitshauptamt, Arthur Nebe, and the head of the Gestapo, Heinrich Müller, to be questioned.

From them, Elser learned that his attempt failed — that the man he wanted to kill in order to stop the bloodshed of the world war that had just begun, had left the Bürgerbräukeller 13 minutes before the explosion.

For days, Elser was interrogated by Nebe and Müller. For days, he held out against their questions. Until he finally confessed — and related the story of his deed.

Thus, Elser remembered how National Socialism slowly metastasised in his home village. How he attempted to oppose it, together with his best friend Josef Schurr and a few others. How he met Elsa, fell in love with her, but because of his plans had to turn away from her, his friends and his family. And how, finally, he acted.

“13 Minutes” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre Sept. 1 through 7. Showtimes will be 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 1 and 2; and 7 p.m. on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 3, 6 and 7.

Tickets are $12 or $9 for Film Festival members. Call 282-1177 for tickets and more information. Both the theater and film festival office are at 2030 W. State Route 89A in West Sedona. Visit SedonaFilmFestival.org for more information.