Berlinale Selection 2019
Gundermann
Within the framework of the "Weeks of the German language"
Biopic // 127 minutes // 2018 // Directed by: Andreas Dresen
Gerhard Gundermann was both a German singer-songwriter and excavator driver – and is a GDR legend. Yet, something else comes to light: Out of love for his country, Gundermann became a Stasi spy; however, he was also himself under surveillance. The story of the GDR is told here in a new way.
Gundermann, received six German film awards in 2019: Best Feature Film, Best Direction, Best Leading Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Production Design and Best Costume Design. The singer Gerhard Gundermann is brilliantly set in centre stage by Alexander Scheer. "Gundermann is one of the richest, most differentiated, greatest films about the GDR. And perhaps the best that Dresen ever made, because his philanthropy here cannot end up in the parking lot of reconciliation. There remains something open in Gundermann" writes SPIEGEL online.
Andreas Dresen wuchs grew up as the child of theatre working parents and subsequently worked as a sound technician in theatre. Also his first feature film Silent Country (Stilles Land) was about small town theaters. While still in school he shot amateur films and finally he studied at the University of Film and Television in Potsdam-Babelsberg from 1986 to 1991. His film resulting from these studies, Short Cut to Istanbul (So schnell es geht nach Istanbul), was screened at the Berlinale and won the Prix Europa. Since 1996 he has been working again for theatre in Berlin, Leipzig, Cottbus and Basel. Before he was appointed to the competition jury of the 63 Berlin International Film Festival in 2013, he was present at the Berlinale with three further films.
Dresen is a member of the Academy of Arts Berlin-Brandenburd, the German and the European Film Academy.
Additional screening dates:
Details
Technopolis 20
18 Nikolaou I. Nikolaidi Avenue
8010 Paphos
Language: English subtitles
Price: Admission free
+357 22 674606
kultur-nikosia@goethe.de
Part of series Berlinale Selection 2019