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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

Störtebeker

This 2006 film in two parts is an adventure film with a theme of pirates in the 14th century. It is split into two parts, each an hour and a half long. Parts of this… Störtebeker

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

Driven Crazy

This 2020 film, currently available on Amazon Prime, is rated 16+ there. It would easily be rated R, were it to be rated in America. Robin Czerny is a face we may recognize from Kokowääh… Driven Crazy

3 Türken und ein Baby

This 2015 comedy is currently available on Netflix! Ekram Bora (AKA the Türkish-German rapper Eko Fresh as well as Elektro Eko) plays one of the three brothers in this film. This was his first time… 3 Türken und ein Baby

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

Das Rad

This 2001 German short film is currently available on Amazon prime. This film uses stop motion. One of the voices is done by a voice actor who we hear in the German version of Asterix… Das Rad

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

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.… Sommer des Falken

Flussfahrt mit Huhn

This 1984 family adventure film focuses on familial relationships of children and the adventures they have up near the North Sea. Most of the actors either only acted in this film or have only been… Flussfahrt mit Huhn

Plisch und Plum

This Wilhelm Busch work, read by the narrator Helmut Hansen, may be less well-known than Max und Moritz or Struwwelpeter, but popular enough to have been translated into English long ago. This story is a… Plisch und Plum

Max und Moritz

This simple audio-film uses the images from Wilhelm Busch’s Max und Moritz to tell the story. For those less familiar with the book, some of the Streiche (tricks, or in this case the chapters) may… Max und Moritz

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

Kein Bund fürs Leben

This 2007 comedy features Franz Dinda, Florian Lukas, and Axel Stein in a series of unfortunate events that brings a young high school graduate into the military. Franz Dinda is our main character. He’s also… Kein Bund fürs Leben

Nach Fünf im Urwald

This early Franka Potente film (1995) is a classic rom-com, focused on the issues of teenagers. This was Potente’s first professional film. Alongside Franka Potente is Axel Milberg. We may know him from the Fifth… Nach Fünf im Urwald

Schiller

This 2005 film stars Matthias Schweighöfer as Friedrich Schiller. It is marketed as a biography-drama, which focuses on Schiller’s early life. Alongside Schweighöfer is Teresa Weißbach, whom we may know from Sonnenallee, Winnetous Weiber, and… Schiller

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,… Das Superweib