A film produced in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the death of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was the GDR’s first cinematic homage to the Baroque composer. It frames Bach as a humanistic artist befitting East Germany’s canon of cultural heritage.
When the French occupied Weimar, Goethe retreated to his office and used his memories of a journey to Italy as the basis for his book Italian Journey.
Individual GDR citizens share the responsibility for improving their own daily lives and the life of the community as a whole, an attitude which has lead to a national community improvement campaign.
This documentary is about the director Joris Ivens and his most important films, including Regen, Borinage, Spanische Erde, 400 Millionen, and Die Seine trifft sich mit Paris. The film depicts Ivens in the editing room, attending congresses, and discussing his work.
Mistress Holle, the head of the "Brothers Grimm" agricultural collective, is responsible for supervising two women with very different working styles. Maria Gold is diligent and dependable, while lazy Maria Pech is never able to deliver quality products.
Director Roland Steiner visited various juvenile detention centers for three years before he was finally able to film—although without an official permit—at the Hummelsheim Center in February 1982.