Documentaries of the German Democratic Republic
East Germany’s documentaries are eclectic in the presentation of their material. They could be objective and include both the perspective of the authorities and citizens, as seen in Leipzig in the Fall, or highly subjective and propagandistic, such as Look at this City.
Cinematography and camera’s focus varies as well, depending on the film’s goal, and use cinematography to manipulate the temporal and spatial distance between the film and the viewer. Black and white film used in all three films.
Interviews are a staple of this genre, but not all documentaries include them. Some documentaries use interviews in a similar way to cinematography; to capture people’s feelings and thoughts in a specific moment, or even over time on a specific sphere of life. Others exclude interviews, in some instances to give directors more space or "wiggle room."
Cinematography and camera’s focus varies as well, depending on the film’s goal, and use cinematography to manipulate the temporal and spatial distance between the film and the viewer. Black and white film used in all three films.
Interviews are a staple of this genre, but not all documentaries include them. Some documentaries use interviews in a similar way to cinematography; to capture people’s feelings and thoughts in a specific moment, or even over time on a specific sphere of life. Others exclude interviews, in some instances to give directors more space or "wiggle room."
Look at this City
Look at this City (German: Schaut auf diese Stadt) is 1962 documentary directed by Karl Gass. It was made to explain and educate about the reasoning behind the Berlin Wall, which had gone up on August 13, 1961 in the middle of the night. Gass's documentary paints West Berlin as a hub of neo-fascism, terrorism, and neo-colonialism, and says that the Berlin Wall is an "anti-fascist defense." Unsurprisingly, easterners defended the film's messages, while westerners didn't so much. The release of this documentary attracted a large audience and all considered it a well-made film.
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Winter Ade
Winter Ade was made in 1988, one year to the day before the Berlin Wall fell. In this documentary, director Helke Misselwitz traveled across East Germany by train, interviewing East German women of all ages. She documented their jobs, aspirations, and frustrations, challenged the traditional GDR image of the women, and pushed back East German claims of gender equality.
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Leipzig in the Fall
Directed by Andres Voigt, Leipzig in the Fall looks at the October 1989 protests in Leipzig, a crucial moment in the citizens' movement that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Protestors demanded democratic elections, freedom of the press, freedom to travel and work, a transparent government, and the building of a new and better socialist state. The documentary includes interviewers with members of the citizens' movement, demonstrators, officials, and bystanders to the protests.
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Look at this City can be purchased from Amazon. Leipzig in the Fall is also available on Amazon, in as a part of a collection of films about Leipzig. Kenyon students can also watch all three films online through Kanopy Streaming: Look at this City, Winter Ade, and Leipzig in the Fall.
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