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Barbara

  • 20122012
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
14K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Barbara (2012)
Trailer for Barbara
Play trailer1:44
2 Videos
43 Photos
  • Drama
A doctor working in 1980s East Germany finds herself banished to a small country hospital.A doctor working in 1980s East Germany finds herself banished to a small country hospital.A doctor working in 1980s East Germany finds herself banished to a small country hospital.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
14K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Christian Petzold
  • Writers
    • Christian Petzold(screenplay)
    • Harun Farocki(collaborator on screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Nina Hoss
    • Ronald Zehrfeld
    • Rainer Bock
Top credits
  • Director
    • Christian Petzold
  • Writers
    • Christian Petzold(screenplay)
    • Harun Farocki(collaborator on screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Nina Hoss
    • Ronald Zehrfeld
    • Rainer Bock
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 49User reviews
    • 189Critic reviews
    • 86Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 10 wins & 24 nominations

    Videos2

    Barbara
    Trailer 1:44
    Barbara
    Barbara
    Trailer 2:30
    Barbara

    Photos43

    Nina Hoss in Barbara (2012)
    Nina Hoss in Barbara (2012)
    Nina Hoss and Ronald Zehrfeld in Barbara (2012)
    Nina Hoss and Ronald Zehrfeld in Barbara (2012)
    Ronald Zehrfeld in Barbara (2012)
    Christian Petzold and Ronald Zehrfeld in Barbara (2012)
    Nina Hoss in Barbara (2012)
    Barbara (2012)
    Barbara (2012)
    Barbara (2012)
    Nina Hoss in Barbara (2012)
    Barbara (2012)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Nina Hoss
    Nina Hoss
    • Barbaraas Barbara
    Ronald Zehrfeld
    Ronald Zehrfeld
    • Andréas André
    Rainer Bock
    Rainer Bock
    • Klaus Schützas Klaus Schütz
    Christina Hecke
    Christina Hecke
    • Assistenzärztin Schulzeas Assistenzärztin Schulze
    Claudia Geisler-Bading
    • Stationsschwester Schlösseras Stationsschwester Schlösser
    • (as Claudia Geisler)
    Peter Weiss
    • Medizinstudentas Medizinstudent
    Carolin Haupt
    • Medizinstudentinas Medizinstudentin
    Deniz Petzold
    • Angeloas Angelo
    Rosa Enskat
    • Hausmeisterin Bungertas Hausmeisterin Bungert
    Jasna Fritzi Bauer
    Jasna Fritzi Bauer
    • Stellaas Stella
    Peer-Uwe Teska
    Peer-Uwe Teska
    • Kellner im Ausflugslokalas Kellner im Ausflugslokal
    Elisabeth Lehmann
    • Junge Kellnerinas Junge Kellnerin
    Mark Waschke
    Mark Waschke
    • Jörgas Jörg
    Peter Benedict
    • Gerhardas Gerhard
    Thomas Neumann
    • Rentner am Autoas Rentner am Auto
    Anette Daugardt
    • Mitarbeiterin Schützas Mitarbeiterin Schütz
    Thomas Bading
    • Klavierstimmeras Klavierstimmer
    Susanne Bormann
    Susanne Bormann
    • Steffias Steffi
    • Director
      • Christian Petzold
    • Writers
      • Christian Petzold(screenplay)
      • Harun Farocki(collaborator on screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Torgau workhouse to which Stella is sent is the Torgau Juvenile Detention Centre. The Centre, which ran from 1964 to 1989, was for the "re-education" of young people aged 14 to 18. Inmates had committed no crimes, but were deemed to need education so that they could fit in with the norms of socialist life in East Germany.
    • Goofs
      Andre hands Barbara a cup of coffee, which she promptly drops. You see the shattered pieces of the cup on the floor, but no coffee.
    • Quotes

      André: Doctor Wolff will be working with us. She is from Berlin... from the Charite Hospital, and has decided...

      Assistenzärztin Schulze: We have introduced ourselves.

    • Connections
      Followed by Phoenix (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      Nocturne g-moll Opus 15 No. 3
      Composed by Frédéric Chopin

    User reviews49

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Physicians Behind the Iron Curtain
    Looking back at 1980 East Germany director Christian Petzold conjures up a dreary Orwellian world of suppressed emotions, police state invasiveness and a simmering yearning for something better. The work of Cinematographer Hans Fromm creates an atmosphere of almost perpetual colorless twilight and Petzold's laconic scenes and long takes create a subtle but omnipresent feeling of oppression and paranoia.

    In a beautifully understated performance Nina Hoss (Barbara) is a doctor whose desire to leave East Germany results in her being punished through relocation to a rural village clinic where she encounters clinic chief Ronald Zehrfeld (Dr. Reiser). Reiser appears to be sympathetic but she is reluctant to trust him. Jasna Fritzi Bauer is Stella a young girl who constantly escapes juvenile work camps seeking refuge at the clinic. Mark Waschke is Jorg a well-to-do foreigner who loves Barbara and offers to help her escape to Denmark where they can be together. Rainer Bock is a Stasi officer who periodically subjects Barbara to strip searches in an attempt to harass and prevent her from fleeing.

    "Barbara" is a quiet character piece. It's a subtle, tense, humanistic drama not ideally suited for audiences of plot-driven pictures. Nina Hoss deserves serious consideration from the Academy as hers is one of the best performances by an actress this year.
    helpful•25
    4
    • georgep53
    • Dec 28, 2012

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 8, 2012 (Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • Germany
    • Official sites
      • Official site (Germany)
      • Official site (Japan)
    • Language
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Bárbara
    • Filming locations
      • Ahrenshoop, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany
    • Production companies
      • Schramm Film Koerner & Weber
      • Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)
      • ARTE
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,013,902
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $63,410
      • Dec 23, 2012
    • Gross worldwide
      • $6,908,277
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 45 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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