The
 Vincent

PEREZ
Archives

 

Germany/
France/UK
2016

103 minutes

Synopsis:  Based on a true story, Hans Fallada’s powerful and redemptive novel, written shortly after the Second World War, describes a city paralyzed by fear. Otto and Anna Quangel are an ordinary couple living in a shabby apartment block in Berlin trying, like everyone else, to stay out of trouble under Nazi rule. But when their only child is killed fighting at the front, their loss propels them into an extraordinary act of resistance. They start to drop anonymous postcards all over the city attacking Hitler and his regime. If caught, it means certain execution. Soon their campaign comes to the attention of the Gestapo inspector, Escherich, and a murderous game of cat-and-mouse begins. But the game serves only to strengthen Otto and Anna’s sense of purpose, and slowly their drab lives and marriage are transformed as they unite in their quiet but profound rebellion.

For the DIRECTORIAL REVIEWS, click here.

Production Notes:

Filming took place in Berlin, Cologne and Görlitz beginning March 27, 2015 and continued through the beginning of June.  See production photos.

 

From Cineuropa (April 1, 2015):
Directed by Swiss writer-actor-director Vincent Perez, the film is based on a true story that acclaimed German writer Hans Fallada turned into a fictional novel in 1947. His bestselling book was already adapted for the big screen in 1975 by German filmmaker Alfred Vohrer, who shot the movie with famous German actress Hildegard Knef and Carl Raddatz in the leading roles.

Stefan Arndt and Uwe Schott, of Berlin-based production outfit X Filme Creative Pool, are co-producing with French producer Marco Pacchioni, of Master Movies, who bought the rights to the novel with Vincent Perez seven years ago. Further producers on board include former Focus Features CEO James Schamus as well as Christian Grass and Paul Trijbits from FilmWave, who will handle the UK rights for the film.

The project is supported by the German Federal Film Board, the German Federal Film Fund, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Eurimages, the Mini Traité and Creative Europe. In Germany, Alone in Berlin will be released by X Verleih. World sales for the title are handled by Alison Thompson, former president of Focus Features International.

vletter.gif (1289 bytes)"I read the book and I got addicted to it. It was obviously a very cinematic story... People did tiny things and lost their lives, and we never talk about it. We’re telling the story of those people."

"We wanted to tell a universal story. It was important to tell this story not only for Germany, but also France, Britain and Israel, and throughout the world that has seen the occurrence of such extreme events. It is important to show that everyone can fight. You need the courage. "

 

Starring:

Emma Thompson.....Anna Quangel
Brendan Gleeson.....Otto Quangel
Daniel Brühl.....Escherich
Mikael Persbrandt.....SS officer Prall

Directed by Vincent Perez
Based on the novel by Hans Fallada

Screenplay by Vincent Perez and Achim von Borries


Premiere:

Berlin International Film Festival
February 15, 2016

Release dates by country:

Israel - September 29, 2016
Italy - October 13, 2016
Sweden - November 2, 2016
Greece - November 3, 2016
Portugal - November 10, 2016
Germany - November 17, 2016
France - November 23, 2016
UK - March 10, 2017
Netherlands - April 27, 2017
 

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