Wolke Neun (2008)

Director:

Andreas Dresen

Writers:

Andreas Dresen (writer)
Jörg Hauschild (writer)

Release Date:

4 September 2008 (Germany)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A Story of New Love in Old Age.

Plot:

A romantic drama about a woman who enters into an affair after 30 years of marriage. |

Plot Keywords:

Older Woman Nude | No Music | Couple | Old Age | Female Nudity

Awards:

8 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Ursula Werner	...	Inge
Horst Rehberg	...	Werner
Horst Westphal	...	Karl
Steffi Kühnert	...	Petra

Also Known As:

Cloud 9 (Europe)
Cloud Nine (USA) (literal English title)
Wolke 9 (Germany) (alternative title)

Runtime:

Argentina:98 min | Germany:98 min | USA:98 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:11 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/Ontario) | Argentina:16 | Ireland:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Peter Rommel Productions

Trivia:

All dialogue was improvised while shooting. There was a plot but no screenplay.

A simple story about love and marriage, yet told with varied layers poignantly revealed, insightfully delivered

"Wolke 9" German film title for 'Cloud 9'. The subject may not be so novel, it's about love and marriage, or you might say relationship 101 revisited. Yet the aspect of falling in love afresh for a woman at 67, discovering her erogenous zones and feelings with a new beau of 76 and thereafter certainly made us open our eyes and care for the persons involved. What does one do back at home with the husband of 30 years of marriage? What is the husband like? She tries to fight it as social norm expects, but this falling in love again feeling is irresistible. It's enchanting passion. It's an opportunity to take a look at what's really happening to one's stage in life at hand. And is the 76-year old lover worth the 'trouble' - what is he like? And we are also introduced to the daughter - what does she thinks of her mother's secret?

Director Andreas Dresen, who co-wrote the screenplay with three other writers, has given us a natural happenstance of love affairs, exceptional in the sense that the story exclusively revolves around 'older' maturing-age people - a theme seldom seen on screen. It's heartening to be able to appreciate the straightforward approach to the love-making scenes that are intimately explicit, accepting the anatomy of matured bodies, wrinkled or soft. Any nudity scenario is not at all gratuitous but simply befitting to what's happening at the particular moment of the 'storyline'.

Inge, our 67 year old heroine of the story, is portrayed with impressive naturalness and emotional depth by Ursula Werner - best actress awards well-deserved. Karl, the refreshing energy source for Inge, is remarkably played with vitality by Horst Westphal - yes, we want to go cycling, swimming, attend racing events and run in the rain with him. Werner, the husband, is played restrainedly effective by Horst Rehlberg, demonstrating how listless his life has become, in spite of occasional cuddling affection in bed with Inge, spending time with grandchildren, visiting his father at convalescent home, even listening to 'choo-choo' train are just dull routines that raise no smile. He does seem so tired - of life? Inge's affair probably makes his head hurt - does he have to make extra effort to enjoy life?

The story centrally revolves around Inge, hence besides the emotional ups and downs, we get to follow her going about with daily activities, including the added touch of belonging to a women's church choir, participating in rehearsals and singing songs together - comfortable camaraderie detected. (In the press kit - available on Cannes 2008 online under "Cloud 9" page* - director Dresen's comments are included, and he mentioned that it was Ursula Werner who suggested the 'choir' aspect of Inge's life.) 'Cloud 9' is worthwhile viewing and highly recommended.

Films by association: I recall the Brazilian film by Marcos Bernstein, "The Other Side of the Street" 2004, contains a tender exchange scene between two older persons making love (Fernanda Montenegro as Regina and Raul Cortez as Camargo) which was sensitively delivered unabashed. Paul Cox's film "Innocence" 2000, with Julia Blake as Claire and Charles Tingwell as Andreas, also marvelously depicts a married woman falling in love again in her 'later years' - not an impossible or improbable scenario at all.

* Cannes Festival - Festival Archives - 2008 - Selections - 'Un Certain Regard' - Wolke 9