If you want to learn more about the German-German past or are a fan of Ostalgie, these films about the GDR should not be missing from your list.
“Good Bye, Lenin” (2003) – one of the most famous films about the GDR
The feature film directed by Wolfgang Becker mixes comedy and drama and is considered one of the most successful recent German films.
- The focus is on the story of 21-year-old Alex Kerner (Daniel Brühl) and his mother Christiane (Katrin Sass), a staunch GDR citizen who suffers a heart attack shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, falls into a coma and only wakes up again when the GDR is history and capitalism has taken hold.
- In order to protect his mother from another heart attack, Alex decides to hide the political changes from her and receives a mini-GDR in Christiane's prefab apartment.
- The film reconstructs East Berlin in the late 1980s in great detail and authentically captures the time of the fall of the Wall, reunification and the associated social changes.
- Humorous elements are mixed with serious themes such as identity, loss and family ties.
- The film was well received by audiences and critics, who particularly praised the performances of Brühl and Sass. It received numerous awards, including the European Film Award and the French César.
- “Good Bye, Lenin” contributed significantly to the discussion about “Ostalgie”, i.e. nostalgia for aspects of life in the former GDR.
“The Lives of Others” (2006)
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck not only directed this classic GDR film, but also wrote the screenplay. The film is set in East Berlin in the 1980s and deals with surveillance by the Stasi in the GDR.
- The story follows Stasi captain Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Mühe), who is given the task of monitoring the successful author Georg Dreymann (Sebastian Koch) and his partner, actress Christa-Maria Sieland (Martina Gedeck).
- The focus is on Wiesler's increasing despair at his task and the system, which ultimately leads him to protect the couple by withholding and manipulating information.
- The authentic reconstruction of life in a repressive system as well as the moral complexity, i.e. the grey areas between good and evil in people, characterize this film.
- “The Lives of Others” is considered a milestone in German cinema and an important contribution to the reappraisal of GDR history. It is still used as teaching material in schools today.
- The film was a commercial success and won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, among others. However, some critics criticized the overly positive and unrealistic portrayal of the Stasi officer.
„Sonnenallee“ (1999)
Leander Haußmann's comedy is set in East Berlin in the 1970s and tells of the everyday life and coming of age of a group of young people in the GDR.
- 17-year-old Micha Ehrenreich (Alexander Scheer) lives with his family at the shorter, eastern end of Sonnenallee, right next to the Berlin Wall. The film follows him and his friends through typical teenage experiences such as first love, music and the struggle with the restrictions and absurdities of the GDR system.
- The film's set design is an authentic reconstruction of everyday life in the GDR and the soundtrack, which mixes Western pop music with East German songs, also contributed significantly to the film's success.
- “Sonnenallee” is a real “Ostalgie” film that looks at life in the GDR with a certain nostalgic perspective and presents many lovable and quirky characters.
- The lightness and humor of the film, which received the German Film Award in Silver, convinced both audiences and the press.