The Lives of Others

The Lives of Others

directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

This intriguing film is set in 1984 East Germany, before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Winner of the 2006 Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film, this is one production that offers an outstanding, yet eerie portrayal of what it is like to live under constant surveillance by the State Secret Police. Neighbors and friends are asked to spy on each other, and are threatened if they don't comply. An examination of anyone, for the smallest infraction, is the norm. The movie opens with the interrogation of a man who claims to know nothing about the escape of an East Berlin citizen. Then goes on to follow the lives of two government sanctioned artists who are lovers. A twist in the story evolves when a high ranking official decides to have the couple's apartment bugged because he is in love with one of them. Filled with secret meetings and whispered conversations, living in a country as controlling as this and creating art can be a tricky and dangerous profession. This film is a must see for those who value artistic expression, and for those who value the ordinary freedoms that are accorded to people living in a democracy. -- recommended by Patty L. - Walt Branch Library

[ Internet Movie Database page for this film ]

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