Ein Kessel Buntes

Ein Kessel Buntes was a television variety show in the former East Germany. It broadcast from 1972 to 1992. A total of 113 shows were made, six per year. As the name implies, it was broadcast in colour, first from the Friedrichstadtpalast theatre, and later from the Palast der Republik, as well as from other prominent music halls in other East German cities. Its title sequence showed a series of famous clocks in East Berlin, such as that on the Rotes Rathaus and the Weltzeituhr at ...

Seven Freckles

Teens in a holiday-camp. First love, first sex, first self-made theatre performance of "Romeo and Julliet" - quite interesting to have a look at the east-German youth in the seventies.

Who’s Afraid of the Devil

Based on a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm: Jakob is a poor farmer′s boy. Because of his timidity that even makes him run away from mice, he is often ridiculed by other people. Even the king is ill-disposed towards him. One day he sends Jakob to the devil to rob him of three golden hairs. This is supposed to be Jakob′s certain death. But naïve Jakob gets going and on his way even promises the oppressed subjects of the king to ask the devil for a way out of their misery.

Liberation: The Fire Bulge

The "Fiery Arc" tells of a grandiose battle on the Kursk Bulge in the summer of 1943. Here was the largest tank battle in the history of World War II. Along with the personal fate of the heroes, the film shows battle scenes, the activities of headquarters and intelligence, those who worked at the front and in the rear.

Karla

An idealistic teacher is shocked to discover her pupils are already cynical and opportunistic. Her colleague soon grows resentful when she uses new and challenging techniques to help her students overcome obstacles.

Spring Takes Time

Was it an act of sabotage or willful negligence? The non-party engineer Heinz Solter is suddenly arrested and accused of approving a defective pipeline that caused a half million loss to his company. At first, the case seems clear-cut for the state prosecutor, but when he probes deeper, he discovers that Solter had acted against his better judgment due to the pressure from his career-driven and authoritarian boss.

The Adventures of Werner Holt

Shortly before the end of WWII: While he is fighting at the Eastern front, private Werner Holt looks back on his still young life – especially his long-time friendship with former classmate Gilbert Wolzow, who is now Werner′s commanding officer. Both men used to be fanatic Nazi followers, but since Holt witnessed a massacre conducted by SS troops and the execution of a friend, he has begun to question the regime. He saves a Slovakian woman who is to be executed, and finally openly opposes Wolzow.

King Thrushbeard

A fairy-tale about a beautiful but very haughty princess Anna who cruelly mocks each of her suitors. Finally she is forced by the king to marry a beggar. The poor life, hard work and love teach the princess a lesson and turn her into a loving and kind person.

Geliebte weiße Maus

„White mouse“ Fritz controls the traffic on Dresden’s Körner Square. Helene, who crosses the junction on her motor scooter every day, has taken a shine to Fritz a long while ago. Although Fritz yields right-of-way to her remarkably often, the two have not spoken to each other. In order to finally get to know him better, Helene deliberately performs a traffic violation. Her plan is working: She is ordered to take road safety education lessons from Fritz and they get closer. New problems ...

Sonntagsfahrer

Naked Among Wolves

Based on a true story of inmates at KZ Buchenwald that risked their lives to hide a small Jewish boy shortly before the liberation of the camp.

…And Your Love Too

On August 13th, 1961 - the night that the Berlin Wall goes up - three people must make a decision that will change their lives forever.

Hatifa

First Spaceship on Venus

A mysterious magnetic spool found during a construction project is discovered to have originated from Venus. A rocket expedition to Venus is launched to discover the origin of the spool and the race that created it.

Verwirrung der Liebe

The film tells the love story of two young couples. According to their social ranks, construction worker Edy is dating employee Siegi, while medical student Dieter is dating art school student Sonja. Rather unintentionally, they exchange partners. During a carnival ball, Dieter makes out with Siegi because he falls for her her fresh and happy girlish manner. Sonja coolly observes this game and sees this intermezzo as a test for their relationship. While Siegi and Dieter vacation at the sea, ...

The Singing Ringing Tree

A brave prince must seek the fabled singing, ringing tree in order to win the heart of a beautiful princess.

The Witches of Salem

Salem, 1692. Industrious farmer, John Proctor, has twice made love to 17-year-old Abigail, a youth he and his wife have taken in. (His wife Elisabeth has rebuffed him for seven months; she is puritanical and cold.) When she finds John and Abigail embracing, she sends the lass from her home and John, feeling damned, agrees. Abigail vows revenge. Her chance comes when she accuses Elisabeth of witchcraft and manipulates younger girls to support her claims of seeing spirits. The town's minister ...

Mich dürstet

Ernst Thälmann – Sohn seiner Klasse

First of two propaganda films about German communist leader Ernst Thälmann that follows him from the Western Front in 1918 through the Hamburg Uprising of 1923.

The Kaiser’s Lackey

Diederich Heßling is scared of everything and everyone. But as he grows up, he comes to realize that he has to offer his services to the powers-that-be if he wants to wield power himself. His life motto now runs: bow to those at the top and tread on those below. In this way, he always succeeds: as a student in a duel-fighting student fraternity and as a businessman in a paper factory. He cajoles the obese district administrative president Von Wulkow and wins his favor. He slanders his ...

Council of the Gods

Based on testimony from the Nuremberg Trials, this East German drama explores the collusion between international corporations and Nazi scientists. Considering himself politically neutral, a chemist remains silent when his company creates the gas that kills millions of prisoners in concentration camps. This vintage film was used as propaganda for the new German Democratic Republic.