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April–June 2005 Screenings
Goodbye Lenin
2003 - Wolfgang Becker - 123 - Germany
Fri 22 Oct 2004 at 8.30pm
Astor Cinema, Scariff
Midnight Court Rating: 4.8 (4 votes)
Storyline: The year is 1989 and East and West Germany are still divided. Alex and his sister, Ariane live in East Germany with their single mother, Christiane who is a staunch Socialist. When Alex’s mother witnesses his arrest on a protest march, she suffers a heart attack and falls into a coma for eight months just enough time for the Berlin wall to come tumbling down along with all of East Germany’s ideals. Eight months later, Christiane wakes up and things have changed. The doctors warn Alex that any shock could bring on a fatal heart attack and he realizes that he must convince his mother that her beloved Communism has not been overthrown. All traces of “the evil West” must be hidden; his sister’s Burger King uniform, all their recently acquired modern furniture and food. How long can Alex keep up the charade? With Coca-Cola posters and Car Showrooms on their doorstep, surely it’s only a matter of time. Wolfgang Becker was born in Hemer in the former West Germany. He studied German and American history and literature at Berlin’s Free University, then attended the German Film and Television Academy, where his thesis project, Butterflies (87), received a Student Academy Award®. His acclaimed television drama, “Child’s Play” (92), won the 1993 German Film Critics’ Award for Best Feature Film. In 1994, Becker co-founded X Filme Creative Pool with Stefan Arndt, Tom Tykwer and Dani Levy. His features include Life Is All You Get (97) and Good Bye, Lenin! (03). “Funny, moving, charming and original.” - Empire
“A movie that’ll have you giving up your deckchair with a big smile.” - Total Film
“The jolliest, most wryly perceptive movie of the summer...it’s terrific.” - Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
Winner - 9 Lolas (Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Direction, Best Editing, Best Music, Best Production Design, Best Feature Film, Best Actor of the Year / Germany Film Awards
Winner - Best Screenplay / Berlin Film Festival
Winner - Audience Award / Berlin Film Festival
Winner - Best film, Best actor. Best actress, Best screenplay / European Film Awards
Winner - Jameson People’s Choice Awards 2003
Winner - Best non-American Film / Bodil Awards 2004 (Danish Film Critics)
Genre: Comedy
Verdicts from the Midnight Court
