Good Bye Lenin! (2003)

Director:

Wolfgang Becker

Writers:

Bernd Lichtenberg (written by)
Wolfgang Becker (co-author)
(more)

Release Date:

13 February 2003 (Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Die DDR lebt weiter -- auf 79 qm!

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Coma | Germany | Heart Attack | East Germany | Police

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 32 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Daniel Brühl	...	Alexander 'Alex' Kerner
Katrin Saß	...	Christiane Kerner
Chulpan Khamatova	...	Lara
Maria Simon	...	Ariane Kerner
Florian Lukas	...	Denis Domaschke
Alexander Beyer	...	Rainer
Burghart Klaußner	...	Robert Kerner
Michael Gwisdek	...	Klapprath
Christine Schorn	...	Frau Schäfer
Jürgen Holtz	...	Herr Ganske
Jochen Stern	...	Herr Mehlert
Stefan Walz	...	Sigmund Jähn
Eberhard Kirchberg	...	Dr. Wagner
Hans-Uwe Bauer	...	Dr. Mewes
Nico Ledermueller	...	Alex - 11 Jahre (as Nico Ledermüller)
Jelena Kratz	...	Ariane - 13 Jahre
Laureen Hatscher	...	Baby Paula - 1 Jahr
Felicitas Hatscher	...	Baby Paula - 1 Jahr
Martin Brambach	...	Stasi 1
Michael Gerber	...	Stasi 2
Robert Störr	...	Funktionär Ordensverleihung
Philipp Kupfer	...	Baby Paula - 3 Monate
Ernst-Georg Schwill	...	Taxifahrer
Rainer Werner	...	Stasi in Jeansjacke
Marc Bischoff	...	Junger Stationsarzt
Horst-Dieter Stork	...	Grenzer 1
Hartmut Kuley	...	NVA-Offizier
Peter Kurth	...	'X-TV' Chef
Ditmar Bieseke	...	Grenzer 2
Arndt Schwering-Sohnrey	...	Fahrer Krankenwagen
Dirk Prinz	...	Beifahrer
Jürgen Vogel	...	Das Küken
Elke Werner	...	Verkäuferin HO-Markt
Regina Ziebach	...	Gurkenfrau
Wolfgang Stein	...	Gurkenmann
Mennan Yapo	...	Flohmarktverkäufer
Maximilian Brunow	...	Pionier Sascha
Bojan Heyn	...	Pionier Niko
Fritz Roth	...	Pförtner Coca-Cola
Armin Dillenberger	...	Bankangestellter
Denys Darahan	...	Pionier Christian
Bastian Lang	...	Pionier Frank
Lothar Schlichthar	...	Dicker Mann am Pool
Alexander Reed	...	Wuppertaler
Ute Michel	...	Frauenärztin (as Dr. Ute Michel)
Svea Timander	...	Vaters neue Frau
Hanna Schwamborn	...	Carla Kerner
Rafael Hübner	...	Thomas Kerner
Michael Berge	...	Partyredner
Rey Agana
Marcel Bellin
Aandrea Bork
Angelo Bossert
Christiane Brauer
Igor-Immanuel Bruckhaus
Mimmo Catania
Toni Filler
Meike Frerichs
Marc Geiselhart
Charline Gülle
Leonore Haberkorn
Bjoern Heinrich
Torsten Heyroth
Jasmin Hoffmann
Clemens Holzendorff
Susann Hotze
Wasin Jung
André Kindzorra
Dieter Kraft
Jörn Itzeck
Simone Kruse
Kai-Quin Liang
Fred Luck
Karoline Metzig
Utz Neumann
Christoph Olonczik
Marakorn Praphawat
Pham Quang		(as Quang Pham)
Sebastian Raehse
Michelle Reed
Jacqueline Schachmann
Angelika Schmegg
Wolfgang Schreiber
Florian Seiffge
Michael Stübing
Christian Trautsch
Adrian Wolff
Andreas Thieck	...	SFB-Nachrichtensprecher (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Klaus Augenthaler	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Willy Brandt	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Guido Buchwald	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Lothar de Maizière	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Michael Gempart	...	Grenzer (uncredited)
Hans-Dietrich Genscher	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Mikhail Gorbachev	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Raisa Gorbachev	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Erich Honecker	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Sigmund Jähn	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hannelore Kohl	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Helmut Kohl	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Egon Krenz	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Oskar Lafontaine	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Lothar Matthäus	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Erich Mielke	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Walter Momper	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Monika Reineck	...	Demonstrantin 1. Reihe bei Straßenschlacht mit Stasi-Leuten (uncredited)
Karl-Heinz Riedle	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Eduard Shevardnadze	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Sarah Tkotsch	...	Mitglied des Pionierchors (uncredited)
Angelika Unterlauf	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rudi Völler	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Chris Waddle	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Ulrich Wohlleben	...	Partygast (uncredited)

Directed by
Wolfgang Becker

Writing credits
Bernd Lichtenberg		(written by)
Wolfgang Becker		(co-author)
Achim von Borries		(collaborator on screenplay) uncredited &
Hendrik Handloegten		(collaborator on screenplay) uncredited &
Christoph Silber		(collaborator on screenplay) uncredited

Produced by
Stefan Arndt	....	producer
Katja De Bock	....	producer: WDR
Marcos Kantis	....	line producer
Paul Müller	....	line producer
Andreas Schreitmüller	....	producer: arte
Manuela Stehr	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Yann Tiersen

Cinematography by
Martin Kukula

Film Editing by
Peter R. Adam

Casting by
Simone Bär

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
Björn Rehbein	....	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	....	third 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 Schaefer	....	set designer
Kay Scziegel	....	props (as Kay-Uwe Scziegel)
Timo Scziegel	....	art department runner
Harald Serowski	....	art director: reshoots
Wolfgang Wrede	....	painter
Marco Pressler	....	construction manager (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	....	sound 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	....	digital compositor
Manfred Kraemer	....	lead 3D artist
Natalie Maximova	....	visual effects
Moritz Peters	....	digital effects artist
Sven Pohle	....	visual effects
Andreas Schellenberg	....	visual effects supervisor
Bastian Schreitling	....	visual effects
Florian Schroeder	....	digital artist
Gerhard Spring	....	scanning and recording
Dominik Trimborn	....	scanning and recording
Gunnar Wittig	....	visual effects

Stunts
Mattias Bark	....	stunts
Mario Linse	....	stunts
Sascha Meissner	....	stunts
Jason Oettle	....	stunts
Katja Richter	....	stunts (as Katja Keya Richter)
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
Conny Klein	....	still photographer
Ralph Kächele	....	director of photography: second unit
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
Iris Müller	....	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

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

Music Department
Xaver Naudascher	....	composer: additional score
Xaver Naudascher	....	score mixer
Wolfgang Richter	....	composer: song "Unser Sandmännchen"
Andro Steinborn	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Alexander Müller-Lenhartz	....	production driver

Other crew
Uli Adomat	....	production accountant
Regine Baschny	....	unit publicist
Mathias Braun	....	location scout
Daniele Drobny	....	production designer: additional shooting
Michael Foertsch	....	caterer
Ines Frederich	....	first location manager
Peter Futschik	....	account assistant
Marion Gerhardt	....	location scout
Jan Ole Gerster	....	post-production
Darius Ghanai	....	title designer
Hannes Gronenberg	....	trainee
Angela Grundt	....	assistant location manager
Hendrik Handloegten	....	co-author
Michael Konstabel	....	archive researcher
Christoph Kukula	....	production assistant
Felix Leitermann	....	location manager
Gisela Liesenfeld	....	assistant: Mr. Arndt
Franziska Linke	....	production assistant
Boris Mang	....	post-production
Bibbi Müller	....	second location manager
Sepp Reidinger	....	laboratory manager
Sybille Rohde	....	production coordinator
Marco Schenke	....	crowd marshall
Sandra Scheucher	....	script supervisor: second unit
Christoph Silber	....	script consultant
Sally Steele	....	publicist
Andro Steinborn	....	head of business/legal affairs
Martin Storck	....	assistant accountant
Caroline Veyssière	....	continuity
Caroline Veyssière	....	script
Achim von Borries	....	co-author
Eva Weber	....	laboratory manager
Ulf Israel	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)

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)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Alfa Films (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Cinemien (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• GAGA (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Kulturföreningen Kedjan (2003) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Lady Film (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Océan Films (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Triangelfilm (2003) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• UGC Films (2003) (UK) (theatrical)
• Wanda Visión S.A. (2003) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2004) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Gateno Films (2004) (Peru) (all media)
• Homescreen (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Magic Box (2003) (Czech Republic) (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
• Beauftragter der Bundesregierung für Angelegenheiten der Kultur und der Medien (BKM)  funding
• Programme MEDIA de la Communauté Européenne  funding
• Cine Plus  editing facilities
• Deutscher Fernsehfunk (DFF)  archive footage
• Elektrofilm  sound mixing
• Maier Bros Cologne  grip and lighting equipment
• Solid Sound  foley recorded at

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for brief language and sexuality

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German | English | Russian

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Canada:G (Québec) | Chile:TE | Denmark:7 | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R | Peru:PT | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | Portugal:M/12 | Iceland:L | Ireland:15 (IFCO) | South Korea:12 | New Zealand:M (DVD rating) | Brazil:14

Filming Locations:

Studios Berlin, Adlershof, Berlin, Germany

Company:

X-Filme Creative Pool

Trivia:

All letters in the movie were written by a young woman from Cologne who did practical training with the film crew.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as 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.

Quotes:

Ariane Kerner:You were in a coma. Eight months ago.
Christiane Kerner:Eight months? What happened?
Ariane Kerner:Yeah, it was...
Alexander Kerner:It was in October, in the supermarket. There was this enormous queue and it was really hot and you just passed out.
Christiane Kerner:In October?
Alexander Kerner:It was a really hot October. At the time.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Auge in Auge - Eine deutsche Filmgeschichte (2008)

Soundtrack:

Summer 78

Refreshing

This was a good film, and I think it needed to be made. A way of life disappeared in Europe, perhaps forever, and it seems appropriate that the fall of Communism has thus been documented.

The basic premise of "Goodbye Lenin" is that the young man's mother is in a coma over the months when the Berlin Wall is coming down. She wakes up (oblivious) in united Germany, but as she is so fragile she cannot be allowed to know that everything she held dear has collapsed. What ensues is a comic and moving scenario - her son does his best to pretend that nothing has changed.

Yes, the movie is a little drawn-out. And most of the comedy is lost on non-Germans, or those unaware of the political climate in the region. However, there are clear universal issues to be considered; idealism, hope, family. There is one particular scene which I thought encompassed exactly how the main protagonist feels - he is at a bank trying to change his mother's old East German currency into Deutschmarks but the deadline has passed. He becomes aggravated by the sheep-like behaviour of his peers. After all, this is their culture being crushed by McCapitalism, but their individual vaunting ambition blinds them from doing something about it. Very refreshing to see this on the big screen.

All in all, "Goodbye Lenin" is a nicely-rounded statement of where the European film industry is heading, and it will appeal to most independent-minded people on both an artistic and political level. 8/10.