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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.… Enkel für Anfänger

Trautmann

Rated 12 and up in Germany, this 2018 war drama is a UK/Germany production and as such the language does not always match the lips when played in German. (They opted to dub the English… Trautmann

Russendisko

This Matthias Schweighöfer film follows three young men as they move their lives from Moscow to Berlin. Filmed in 2012, it takes place just after the Berlin Wall fell. You can read more about Matthias… Russendisko

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… Sarajevo

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.… Was wir wollten

Das System Milch

This 2017 documentary is currently available on Netflix. It is rated TV-14. This film holds a critical look at the milk production economy around the world. There are a few different languages included in this,… Das System Milch

Systemsprenger

This 2020 Netflix film is marketed as a drama. It focuses on a major medical concern for a child, which causes her act out violently. Most cast members are likely new faces to us. That… Systemsprenger

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.… Das Wunder von Bern

Zug in die Freiheit

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This 2014 documentary centers around stories of DDR escapes. There are many interviews with those who risked their lives to do so, as well as several original clips from the era. Sebastian Dehnhardt and Matthias… Zug in die Freiheit

Flucht nach Berlin

This 1961 drama-thriller, currently available on Amazon, was a West German production centering around farmers leaving East Germany to flee the collectivization that was taking place. Being a post-war older film, the actors may not… Flucht nach Berlin

Speechless

This 2016 short film is currently available on Amazon Prime. It features Heike Makatsch, who we know from films such as Hui Buh, Tom Sawyer, Anatomy 2, and even Love Actually. Not actually in German… Speechless

Struwwelpeter

This audio-film uses images from Wilhelm Busch’s Struwwelpeter exclusively. It goes through each short story with a musical clip and a collage of images from the book. At times the music is distracting, as it… Struwwelpeter

Frau im Mond

This 1929 Fritz Lang film, written by his then-wife Thea von Harbou, was banned by the Nazis in 1937 due to a prop – the film shows in detail the first working rocket, and the… Frau im Mond

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… Mahlzeit DDR

Crazy

This 2000 drama centers around a partially paralyzed* teenager who transfers to a boarding school. We follow him as he learns how to settle in his new surroundings. Robert Stadlober is our main character, Benjamin.… Crazy

Die Unsichtbaren

This 2017 historical drama focuses on the Jews still living in Germany in 1943, when Goebbels declared German “Jew-free.” This is based on 4 true stories, and the young people who survived this time were… Die Unsichtbaren

Der Bockerer

This 1981 film (Teil I) is the story of a butcher and his navigation of his new – Nazi – surroundings. This post also covers Teil II, Österreich ist frei, which was released in 1996.… Der Bockerer