Hagazussa
This 2017 folk horror takes place in the 15th century Alps and has the dialect to go with it. Most of the cast are not typically film or TV actors, with few having credits outside…
Die Geschichte von Brandner Kaspar
This 2008 drama-comedy stars well-known Michael “Bully” Herbig as Boandlkramer (Death). We follow a 70 year old as he begins seeing Death and how he handles interactions with him. Other familiar faces are Lisa Maria…
Enkel für Anfänger
This 2020 comedy centers itself around intergenerational relationships and the needs of retired individuals compared to those of younger generations. There is a sequel (Enkel für Fortgeschrittene), but this post focuses solely on the first.…
Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer
This post is specially covering the four-episode Augsburger Puppenkiste collection from 1977 and not the film remake of 2018. This film is recommended for ages 3+ and does lean young. That being said, the language…
Ostfriesen auf der Bank
This 2020 comedy film got its start as short YouTube clips. The short, someone disconnected scenes show this history, but it also makes it perfect to show as clips for the classroom. There is both…
Leberkäs Junkie
A Eberhoferkrimi, this 2019 film is a continuation of stories that began in 2013 with Dampfnudelblues and continues through 2022 with Guglhupfgeschwader so far. (It appears as if they may have spun off from a…
25 km/h
This 2018 film is a drama comedy with adventure in mind. We are taken through Germany by Moped as the story goes on. While most of the cast may not be recognized by all, this…
Joy
This 2018 Austrian film is available on Netflix. It is a drama, rated at TV-MA. This film is mostly in English and German – all languages beyond German are subtitled I’m to German. It shows…
Das schaurige Haus
This 2020 Austrian Netflix film is marketed as a horror/mystery/thriller. There are moments of consequential learning that may be of interest to you and your students. For example, the older son complains that his phone…
Sarajevo
This 2014 historical drama centers around the events that led to WWI. It is an Austrian film and I have to be honest – I was in one of the cities where and when they…
Wolkenbruchs wunderliche Reise in die Arme einer Schickse
This 2018 drama-comedy is a Netflix film centers around orthodox Jewish tradition and a young man’s decision to turn away from his family’s orthodox religious lifestyle. Joel Basman is our main character. Born in Switzerland,…
Was wir wollten
This Austrian Netflix film was released in 2020. The central theme is infertility, along with the stress that is placed on the marriage. It is rated TV-MA for nudity. Our female lead is Lavinia Wilson.…
Isa & Ossi
Rated TV-MA, this Netflix film from 2020 is a rom-com. It’s pretty much a typical rich girl, poor boy story, really. Isi is played by Lisa Vicari, who we may recognize from Dark. Ossi is…
Das Wunder von Bern
This 2003 Sönke Wortmann and Rochus Hahn film is already a staple in many German classrooms. Teachers cite the slow pace and focus on soccer and family as top reasons to show this in class.…
Die fruchtbaren Jahren sind vorbei
This 2019 comedy is in Swiss German and revolves around conception and birthing as a woman in her 30s. German teachers don’t often have a ready supply of Swiss films to view, which may be…
Sommer des Falken
This 1988 German film, filmed in Südtirol, Italy, is an adventure film. Perfect setting for an adventure, really! Most of the actors in this film were only in this one, or in very few others.…
Mahlzeit DDR
This 2003 documentary discusses the common problems of food shortages during the DDR era. It includes footage of propaganda films and ads from East Germany. This film includes many interviews with Germans who had various…
Das doppelte Lottchen (1950)
Narrated by Erich Kästner himself, this version’s screenplay was adapted from his book himself. Lotte and Luise are played by twins Isa and Jutta Günther. This was the first film for both girls, and they…
Kinderzauber
This 2016 fantasy is directed by Ruth Rieser. This film is not filled with A list or well-known actors, but instead focuses on the imagination of a child in the world of the circus. This…
Das Superweib
This 1996 comedy, directed by Sönke Wortmann, stars Veronika Ferres and Joachim Król. Richy Müller plays Papai. He can also be found in the Vampirschwestern series, Anleitung zum Unglücksein, Die Schatzinsel, Zwischen Nacht und Tag,…
Erkan & Stefan
This 2000 Bullyparade-related film is one of several plots in the “Erkan und Stefan” line. In fact, John Friedmann’s acting stage name was Erkan Maria Moosleitner, until his real identity was discovered. His “partner in…
Die Freunde der Freunde
This 2002 film featuring Matthias Schweighöfer, Florian Stetter, and Jessica Schwarz, explores relationships of all types. There is some interesting styling in the video for this film, which may make for an interesting discussion in…
Der Untergang
This 2004 film starring Bruno Ganz shows the final days of Hitler as reported by his last secretary. It is important to remember the 1955 film, Der letzte Akt, which also used Traudl Junge as…
Unser bester Mann
This 1983 East German comedy follows a sort of clumsy and socially awkward man in Berlin in his quest to find an attractive young lady and starts a new job. This film has some fun…
Bullyparade der Film
This 2017 film version of Bullyparade brings back all of the favorite stories! Much of the cast is the same as the Bully films and show tend to be. One important addition is Anette, played…
Das Boot
The story of life in an U-Boot during the war, this 1981 film explores the psyche and trials of the men serving their country under the sea. Giving a different view of the war from…
Murder on the Bridge
This version of Dürrenmatt’s Der Richter und sein Henker, released in 1975, features Jon Voigt and Jacqueline Bisset. The original language is English, but the German dubbing is logical for the setting. The main character…
Vitus
This 2006 film has long since become a popular one among German teachers, largely due to its PG rating. It is a Swiss film, which means there are some characters who speak in Swiss German,…
Herz aus Glas
This 1976 Werner Herzog film is centered in a small village (and as such, some dialect and heavier accents are used), where the secret of the ruby glass dies with the maker. While many of…
Woyzeck
This 1979 Werner Herzog film starring Klaus Kinski is just one of the film versions of the Georg Büchner play, first performed in 1913. More on Klaus Kinski can be found in the post on…
Falco: verdammt, wir leben noch
This 2008 film is based on the life of Austrian Falco (AKA Johann Hölzel). The film begins in English, in the Dominican Republic, where Falco lost his life. We then see little Hansi as a…