Nur aus Liebe
This 1996 action-romance features Katja Riemann as a German cab driver who gets in above her head with some of her fares. Another familiar face is Hannes Jaenicke, who in this case is playing a…
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…
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…
Wir sind jung. Wir sind stark.
This 2014 social drama is available on Netflix. It covers the events of 1992 in Rostock, during which xenophobic riots attacked Vietnamese refugees. Using a variety of film art techniques, this film can be analyzed…
Wir können nicht anders
This 2020 Netflix film, otherwise known as Christmas Crossfire, stars Kostja Ullmann. Merlin Rose also joins the cast. He may look familiar from Hot Dog, an episode of Dark, or the TV series Das Boot.…
Willkommen bei den Hartmanns
This 2016 Drama-Comedy is already well-known by German teachers across the states. With a central theme of immigration, this film lends itself well to the topics our advanced students are expected to be able to…
Bibi und Tina
The 2014 film is the first in a series of four musical-style films dating through 2017. All are part of the Bibi Blocksberg storylines, but take place when Bibi is a teenager. This post will…
Nirgendwo in Afrika
Released in 2001, this film centers around a Jewish family that must leave 1930s Germany, settling in Kenya. Interestingly, the actress who plays Jettel, Juliane Köhler, also played Eva Braun in Der Untergang. Her husband…
Er ist wieder da!
This 2015 film (currently available on Netflix as Look Who’s Back) is a satire/comedy – if Hitler unknowingly time travelled to modern day. Hitler is played by Oliver Masucci, who many of us know from…
Solino
This 2002 film is about an Italian family who moves to Germany while the two boys are still young. We quickly get a flashback to the 60s in the town of Solino, Italy and learn…