It took a while for this film to take a hold of me. It seemed to start off slowly, but then built up to a rousing story of the collapse of the State of the DDR (East Germany) and how these very same forces drive apart one family in particular. Of course this family is representative of East Germany as a whole and are entirely fictional, but this does not detract from the fact that the film is based on actual events or that on the whole that it is very believable and compelling. I found the climax very emotional, the deployment of troops to stop any protesters and how they were almost ready for civil war, until the authorities finally shirked from a bloodbath that would ensue in trying to use force to stop over 70 000 protesters. In the film we hear the lies of the East German state and see the reality. We see a state held only together by informers and how finally the authorities are helpless to stop popular change in what became a bloodless revolution that united Germany. One of the lines I remember from the film is, "wir nehmen nur die Staerksten" (we only take the strongest), as the brother tries to convince his sister to join the Stasi. Here, in East Germany, loyalty had become to mean strength. Loyalty was an essential attribute for a citizen, for on it depended the state. But there was very little loyalty for the state, it was held together by lies and fear. So it rightly collapsed.

In the end a pretty good film, especially for students of German and modern German history.

German cinema is famous for its historical depth, expressionist aesthetics, and social-political engagement. It has moved from Expressionism to political reckoning, from New German Cinema's raw realism to contemporary genre experiments. Its legacy lies in both technical innovation and deep explorations of history, morality, and philosophy.

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The history genre features recounting and analyzing past events, societies, cultures, and historical figures. This genre aims to provide insights into the development of civilizations, the causes and consequences of historical events, and the impact of individuals and ideas on the course of history.

A prehistory of the former GDR. Towards the end, the Monday demonstrations of 1989 develop.

Provobis Gesellschaft für Film und Fernsehen

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