underground cinema

Summer in Berlin

5 juni 20:30 - 23:00

SUMMER IN BERLIN
(Sommer vorm Balkon)

2005
Directed by Andreas Dresen
110 minutes
In German with English subtitles

This is a unique little flick unknown outside its home country, about a summer in Berlin. Yes, it has that capricious 'summer feeling' to it, but it also has another side as well. It was created by director Andreas Dresen (Stilles Land, Raus aus der Haut) along with writer Wolfgang Kohlhaase (Solo Sunny), two crucial former East-Germans, and this is their assessment of the modern, fully unified Germany.

Set in the Prenzlauer Berg district that once belonged to the former East Bloc, the movie centers on the lives of two women who live in the same building, struggling to make ends meet. They spend their evenings on the balcony drinking and shooting the breeze... until events unfold that change their lives. It's been described as a 'comedy-drama' but I just see it as a beautiful depiction of the precarious life we are all facing these days.

One of the strengths of East German cinema was their depiction of strong women. This film continues in this great tradition, and both female lead actresses are perfect - Inka Friedrich and Nadja Uhl (Die Stille nach dem Schuß). For the male lead we have Andreas Schmidt, who acts with a sense of deadpan humor. There is a quality of real humanity in a movie like this, it flows at an unrushed pace, but is so poignant in its insights it makes almost all contemporary movies seem generalized, stereotyped, and formulaic, glossing over real life in favor of a marketing spectacle.

With music by Nana Mouskouri and Pascal Comelade.