The little town of Ulm is governed and oppressed by its bishop. Nobody speaks up against him except the tailor, who is also an artist. He rebels against the bishop’s power and believes the impossible is possible. He believes in his dream—that he can fly!
Peter Kahane's only documentary film to date, Tamara is the story of a rock icon that galvanized an entire generation of East German youth. It recently screened at the Berlin International Film Festival.
From May to October 1974, Peter Voigt filmed at the Berliner Ensemble (BE) during the 25th anniversary of the theater’s founding. Voigt, a member of the BE himself in the 1950s, interviewed theater technicians who had been part of the world-famous ensemble for decades.
An affectionate portrait of three workers—Peter Herrmann, Peter Graf and Peter Makolies—who took art classes with Böttcher. Ralf Winkler, another of Böttcher's students, who later became known as A. R. Penck, also makes an appearance in the film.
This short color documentary features American singer Harry Belafonte performing at the Palace of the Republic as part of the Free German Youth music tour.
The film was commissioned by the GDR Ministry of Culture and directed by Jürgen Böttcher.
This historical biographical film—shot by Eugen Klagemann (The Murderers Are among Us)—celebrates Tilman Riemenschneider, one of the greatest German sculptors of the late Middle Ages.
Tom Schilling, choreographer at the Komische Oper Berlin (Comedic Opera Berlin), made significant contributions to musical theater in the GDR through his style of realistic dance theater.
The title of this documentary is drawn from the final monologue of Goethe's Faust, in which the protagonist looks back on his life's work, saying, "The trace of my days on earth cannot disappear for eons."
A slightly melancholy tone drives this film, which shows Frank Beyer in a period of a contemplation and self-awareness. Beyer’s extensive filmography is viewed today as a greater reflection of DEFA and and even East Germany itself.
Martin Brandt (1903-1989), an unforgettable Jewish actor and former member of the Jewish Kulturbund Theater in Berlin, recites from Macbeth and Nathan the Wise, the play that opened the theater in October 1933.