As we all know, the Berlin Wall came down 20 years ago this year and it is therefore no real surprise that there are some films dedicated to this event during this year’s German Film Festival at the Irish Film Institute. Equally, the current fascination of German film directors with the country’s troubled recent political past also features significantly.
As is my wont, here is a cursory magpie of a rampage through some of what is on offer this year.
Berlin ‘36
This is the season’s opening film and tells the true story of the Jewish high jumper Gretel Bergmann (Karoline Herfurth) who was coerced into training for the 1936 Olympic Games when the Nazi regime came under international pressure to include Jewish athletes. Amazingly, it was all a charade and the regime replaced her at the last minute with a cross-dressing male athlete.
Germany 09
This is an anthology of 13 short films from some of the country’s best directors, each taking a look at what has happened to their country in the twenty years since the Berlin Wall came down. Political commentary, satire, and oddity are all promised in an eclectic overall offering.
German Souls
Arguably the most disturbing sounding film in the festival is this documentary from Matthias Zuber and Martin Fark about a commune in southern Chile that was established by a group of German ex-pats. It has been a secretive and fenced-in society for nearly forty years. Moreover, it is said to have facilitated the torture of opponents of the Pinochet regime and, more recently, it has been at the centre of some shocking child abuse allegations.
Long Shadows
Valerie’s father was killed by the Red Army Faction in this drama from director Connie Walther. When one of the possible perpetrators is released from prison, Valerie (Franziska Petri) comes up with a complex plan with which to take her revenge. A thoughtful thriller is promised, with former RAF member Peter-Jürgen Boock getting a co-writing credit for the script.
Anonyma: A Woman in Berlin
Director Max Färberböck takes on the still highly controversial subject of the mass rape of German women by Russian soldiers at the end of World War II. In this dramatisation of the only known diarised account of what took place, the anonymous protagonist is played by Nina Hoss. The story is then about how she sought out the protection of a senior Russian officer to protect her from worse possible atrocities.
John Rabe
It is thought that John Rabe saved the lives of up to 200,000 people – Chinese employees of Siemens and their families – by agreeing with the brutal advancing Japanese army in 1937 for the establishment of an exclusion zone that they could continue to live in. Like Oscar Schindler, Rabe was a member of the Nazi party and used that position to save the lives of others. However, his story has taken longer to come out, as his diaries were only discovered a decade ago. An impressive cast of Ulrich Tukur, Daniel Brühl, and Steve Buscemi make this sound quite promising.
The fesitval runs from 3-13 December 2009. More information, including how to book tickets, can be found on the festival website! Viel Spaß!
Filed under: Cinema | Tagged: Anonyma: A Woman in Berlin, Berlin ‘36, Connie Walther, Daniel Brühl, Franziska Petri, German Souls, Germany 09, John Rabe, Karoline Herfurth, Long Shadows, Martin Fark, Matthias Zuber, Max Färberböck, Nina Hoss, Steve Buscemi, Ulrich Tukur
