In 1990, to protect his fragile mother from a fatal shock after a long coma, a young man must keep her from learning that her beloved nation of East Germany as she knew it has disappeared.
Director:
Awards:
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 36 wins & 21 nominations.
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Cast verified as complete
Directed by
| Wolfgang Becker | ||
Written by
| Bernd Lichtenberg | ... | (written by) |
| Wolfgang Becker | ... | (co-author) |
| Achim von Borries | ... | (collaborator on screenplay) & |
| Henk Handloegten | ... | (collaborator on screenplay) (as Hendrik Handloegten) & |
| Chris Silber | ... | (collaborator on screenplay) (as Christoph Silber) |
Produced by
| Stefan Arndt | ... | producer |
| Katja De Bock | ... | producer: WDR |
| Gebhard Henke | ... | producer: WDR |
| Marcos Kantis | ... | line producer |
| Paul Müller | ... | line producer |
| Andreas Schreitmüller | ... | producer: arte |
| Manuela Stehr | ... | co-producer |
Music by
| Yann Tiersen | ||
Cinematography by
| Martin Kukula | ||
Editing by
| Peter R. Adam | ||
Editorial Department
| Sam Daley | ... | colorist: high definition mastering |
| Jessica Ehlebracht | ... | assistant editor |
| Patricia Ferbeck | ... | negative cutter |
| Charly Huser | ... | color timer |
| Boris Mang | ... | post-production coordinator |
| Traudl Nicholson | ... | color timer |
| Antje Zynga | ... | assistant editor / additional editor (uncredited) |
Casting By
| Simone Bär | ... | (casting) |
Production Design by
| Lothar Holler | ||
Art Direction by
| Matthias Klemme | ||
Costume Design by
| Aenne Plaumann | ||
Makeup Department
| Birger Laube | ... | makeup artist: "Sigmund Jähn" |
| Lena Lazzarotto | ... | makeup artist |
| Heike Merker | ... | makeup artist |
| Björn Rehbein | ... | hair stylist / makeup artist |
| Sabine Schumann | ... | makeup artist: second unit |
| Madeleine Spremberg | ... | additional makeup artist |
Production Management
| Milanka Comfort | ... | production manager |
| François Doge | ... | unit production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Susanne Boeing | ... | second assistant director |
| Sarah Gross | ... | first assistant director |
| Scott Kirby | ... | first assistant director: additional shooting |
| Marcus Welsch | ... | second assistant director |
Art Department
| Ulrich Christian | ... | property master |
| Andrea Eisensee | ... | set dresser |
| Holger Isenberg | ... | construction manager |
| Claudia Kiefer | ... | props: second unit |
| Christian Schäfer | ... | set designer (as Christian Schaefer) |
| Kay Scziegel | ... | props (as Kay-Uwe Scziegel) |
| Timo Scziegel | ... | art department runner |
| Harald Serowski | ... | art director: reshoots |
| Sergej Simonenko | ... | head of accounting: art department studio babelsberg |
| Wolfgang Wrede | ... | painter |
| Andreas Herberg | ... | carpenter (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Christoph Dudek | ... | sound |
| Lars Ginzel | ... | sound effects editor |
| Jochen Isfort | ... | first boom operator |
| Dirk Jacob | ... | sound designer (as Dirk W. Jacob) |
| Kai-Uwe Koch | ... | adr editor |
| Frank Kruse | ... | foley editor |
| Torsten Löhn | ... | assistant sound |
| Martin Müller | ... | sound: second unit |
| Michael Müller | ... | foley editor |
| Jörn Poetzl | ... | foley artist |
| Alexander Schaefer | ... | second boom operator |
| Wolfgang Schukrafft | ... | original sound |
| Philipp Sellier | ... | foley recordist |
| Kuen-Il Song | ... | sound effects editor |
| Martin Steyer | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Kai Tebbel | ... | sound editor |
| Christoph Ulbich | ... | voiceover recordist |
| Susy Wehrli | ... | sound: second unit |
Special Effects by
| Sven Asamoa | ... | special effects |
| Thorsten Thiesse | ... | special effects |
Visual Effects by
| Max Hattler | ... | visual effects |
| Manfred Kraemer | ... | visual effects (as Manfred Krämer) |
| Natalie Maximova | ... | visual effects (as Natala Maksimova) |
| Milena Nikolova | ... | visual effects |
| Moritz Peters | ... | visual effects |
| Sven Pohle | ... | visual effects |
| Matze Scharfenberg | ... | scanning |
| Andreas Schellenberg | ... | visual effects |
| Bastian Schreitling | ... | visual effects |
| Florian Schroeder | ... | visual effects (as Florian Schröder) |
| Gerhard Spring | ... | scanning |
| Dominik Trimborn | ... | scanning |
| Gunnar Wittig | ... | visual effects |
Stunts
| Mattias Bark | ... | stunts |
| Rainer Clemens | ... | stunts |
| Sven Decker | ... | stunts |
| Sascha Girndt | ... | stunts |
| Thomas Jester | ... | stunts |
| Mario Linse | ... | stunts |
| Olaf Mahlitz | ... | stunts |
| Sascha Meissner | ... | stunts |
| Veith Oeser | ... | stunts |
| Katja Richter | ... | stunts (as Katja Keya Richter) |
| Andreas Schwarz | ... | stunts |
| Steve Thiede | ... | stunts |
| Rainer Werner | ... | stunt coordinator |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Juan José Alcaide | ... | electrician (as Juan José Alcaide Perez) |
| Klemens Becker | ... | steadicam operator |
| Franco Bertone | ... | electrician |
| Dieter Bähr | ... | grip |
| Carlos Dessbesell-Schüler | ... | clapper loader: second unit |
| Sonny Christian Fels | ... | electrician |
| Wolfgang Franke | ... | dolly grip |
| Matthias Ganghofer | ... | assistant camera |
| Frank Griebe | ... | cinematographer: additional shooting |
| Birgit Gudjonsdottir | ... | director of photography: second unit |
| Jan Hartmann | ... | assistant camera: second unit |
| Benjamin Hertzog | ... | electrician |
| Ralph Kaechele | ... | director of photography: second unit (as Ralph Kächele) |
| Conny Klein | ... | still photographer |
| Christoph Manz | ... | assistant camera |
| Dirk Merten | ... | video operator |
| Florian Niedermeier | ... | electrician |
| Dirk Plamböck | ... | still photographer: second unit |
| Helmut Prein | ... | gaffer: phase 2 |
| Christian Scheibe | ... | grip |
| Michael Schuff | ... | electrician |
| Tommy Schulz | ... | gaffer |
| Frank Schwaiger | ... | assistant camera |
| Thorsten Schwytay | ... | assistant camera |
| Martin Sell | ... | electrician |
| Jörg Widmer | ... | steadicam operator |
Casting Department
| Susanne Boeing | ... | casting: children |
| Martina Hennicke | ... | extras casting |
| Kirstin Plotz | ... | casting assistant |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Antje Hentze | ... | additional costumer |
| Anne Kerstan | ... | wardrobe |
| Barbara Koeppl | ... | wardrobe |
| Petra Langer | ... | additional costumer |
| Uta Müller | ... | additional costumer |
| Heidrun Schlüter | ... | additional costumer |
| Christine Seehofer | ... | assistant costume designer |
| Frank Specht | ... | wardrobe: second unit |
Location Management
| Mathias Braun | ... | location scout |
| Ines Frederich | ... | first location manager |
| Marion Gerhardt | ... | location scout |
| Angela Grundt | ... | assistant location manager |
| Felix Leitermann | ... | location manager |
| Bibbi Müller | ... | second location manager |
Music Department
| Wolfgang Richter | ... | composer: song "Unser Sandmännchen" |
| Andro Steinborn | ... | music supervisor |
| Xaver von Treyer | ... | composer: additional score (as Xaver Naudascher) / score mixer (as Xaver Naudascher) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Sandra Scheucher | ... | script supervisor: second unit |
| Chris Silber | ... | script consultant (as Christoph Silber) |
| Caroline Veyssière | ... | continuity |
Transportation Department
| Alexander Müller-Lenhartz | ... | production driver |
Additional Crew
| Uli Adomat | ... | production accountant |
| Regine Baschny | ... | unit publicist |
| Christiane Collinge | ... | 2nd location manager |
| Daniele Drobny | ... | production designer: additional shooting |
| Michael Foertsch | ... | caterer |
| Peter Futschik | ... | account assistant |
| Jan-Ole Gerster | ... | post-production (as Jan Ole Gerster) |
| Darius Ghanai | ... | title designer |
| Hannes Gronenberg | ... | trainee |
| Henk Handloegten | ... | co-author (as Hendrik Handloegten) |
| Michael Konstabel | ... | archive researcher |
| Christoph Kukula | ... | production assistant |
| Gisela Liesenfeld | ... | assistant: Mr. Arndt |
| Franziska Linke | ... | production assistant |
| Boris Mang | ... | post-production |
| Sepp Reidinger | ... | laboratory manager |
| Sybille Rohde | ... | production coordinator |
| Marco Schenke | ... | crowd marshall |
| Sally Steele | ... | publicist |
| Andro Steinborn | ... | head of business/legal affairs |
| Martin Storck | ... | assistant accountant |
| Caroline Veyssière | ... | script |
| Achim von Borries | ... | co-author |
| Eva Weber | ... | laboratory manager |
Thanks
| Sigmund Jähn | ... | special thanks |
| Dieter Kürten | ... | thanks |
| Dani Levy | ... | special thanks |
| Edda Reiser | ... | thanks |
| Michael Schmid-Ospach | ... | special thanks |
| Tom Tykwer | ... | special thanks |
| Jürgen Vogel | ... | special thanks |
| Ingeborg Westphal | ... | special thanks |
Production Companies
- X-Filme Creative Pool
- Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) (in co-production with)
- ARTE (in co-production with)
Distributors
- X Verleih AG (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
- Warner Home Video (2003) (Germany) (video)
- Filmcoopi Zürich (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
- UGC Films (2003) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Sony Pictures Classics (2004) (United States) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Warner Home Video (2003) (Switzerland) (DVD)
- Alfa Films (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Cinemien (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Ekaterinburg Art (EA) (2003) (Russia) (theatrical)
- Gaga (2004) (Japan) (theatrical) (as GAGA Communications)
- Kulturföreningen Kedjan (2003) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Lady Film (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Océan Films (2003) (France) (theatrical)
- Triangelfilm (2003) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Wanda Visión S.A. (2003) (Spain) (theatrical)
- Alambique Filmes (2019) (Portugal)
- Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
- Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- Filmjuwelen (2023) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- Filmjuwelen (2023) (Germany) (DVD)
- Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2004) (United Arab Emirates) (Middle East)
- Gateno Films (2004) (Peru)
- Homescreen (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Imagem Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
- Madman Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
- Magic Box (2003) (Czechia) (DVD)
- Noble Entertainment (2012) (Sweden) (DVD)
- Orlando Films
- Sandrew Metronome Distribution Sverige AB (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
- Seville Pictures (2004) (Canada) (DVD)
Special Effects
- Das Werk (visual effects)
- Blow Up Film (optical effects)
- StarCrest Media (special makeup effects)
Other Companies
- Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen (funding)
- Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA) (funding)
- Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg (FBB) (funding)
- Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (BKM) (funding)
- MEDIA Programme of the European Union (funding)
- Agentur Iris Müller (extras casting)
- Agentur Wanted (extras casting)
- Aldershof Requisiten Fundus (costumes and props)
- Cine Plus (editing facilities)
- Deutscher Fernsehfunk (DFF) (archive footage)
- Elektrofilm (sound mixing)
- FilmFernsehFonds Bayern (funding)
- Maier Bros. (grip and lighting equipment)
- Solid Sound (foley recorded at)
- Studio Babelsberg (sound stages)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
East Germany, the year 1989: A young man protests against the regime. His mother watches the police arresting him and suffers a heart attack and falls into a coma. Some months later, the GDR does not exist anymore and the mother awakes. Since she has to avoid every excitement, the son tries to set up the GDR again for her in their flat. But the world has changed a lot. Written by Benjamin Stello |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Die DDR lebt weiter -- auf 79 qm! See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | EUR4,800,000 (estimated) |
| Opening Weekend Germany | $2,450,171, 14 Feb 2003 |
| Cumulative Worldwide Gross | $79,384,880 |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | The story is loosely based on the last two years of Vladimir Lenin's life, living in a controlled environment similar to what is portrayed in the film. With the justification that over-excitement might cause Lenin health problems, Joseph Stalin had printed for him one-copy edition newspapers, censored of all news about the political struggles of the time. See more » |
| Goofs | Denis wears a "digital rain"-style T-shirt in 1989 because he has developed the idea himself and has come up with an idea for a film exactly like The Matrix (1999), which he describes in a deleted scene (the letters are not identical to the Matrix scheme.) The joke is that the idea originated in East Germany; compare the claim in one of Denis's fake news shows that the Coca-Cola formula was invented there. It also ties in to the film's main theme of keeping people in a simulated reality. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in The 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards (2004). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Mocca-Milch-Eisbar See more » |
| Crazy Credits | Renowned German actor Jürgen Vogel plays the chicken in the supermarket and is credited as "Das Küken" ("young chicken"). See more » |
| Quotes |
[last lines]
[spoiler] Alexander Kerner: [voiceover] My mother outlived the GDR by three days. I believe it was a good thing she never learned the truth. She died happy. She wanted us to scatter her ashes to the winds. That's prohibited in Germany, both East and West. But we didn't care. [launches rocket] Alexander Kerner: She's up there somewhere now. Maybe looking down at us. Maybe she sees us as tiny specks on the Earth's surface, just like Sigmund Jähn did back then. The country my mother left behind was a country she believed in; a country we kept alive till her last breath; a country that never existed in that form; a country that, in my memory, I will always associate with my mother. See more » |