The German movie-industry gained a lot of reputation over the last few years. While Das Boot, some of the Fassbinder movies and the film adaptation of Günther Grass bestseller The tin drum are fairly well known, the contemporary German film-scene deserves the same attention. The new German movies are not as dark, serious and problem-ridden, but are often comical and lots of fun. German movies are an excellent way for German-language learners to brush up on their German. Most movies feature German language subtitles for the hearing impaired, sometimes there are even subtitles in English.
Run, Lola, Run
Most probably everybody will have fun watching some of the movies from the following selection. Tom Tykwer’s 1998 blockbuster Lola Runs (Lola rennt) was probably the most cutting edge German movie so far. While the storyline is simple, the message of the movie is deep and the style original. A young woman (Lola, played by Franka Potente) has 20 minutes to find an bring 100.000 Deutschmarks to her boyfriend who ows this money to his gangster boss. The movie plays with the different possibilities the storyline could take according to the different decisions of the people involved, be it the people Lola asks for money or the people she passes while running through Berlin. A classic for German language classes. “Every day, every moment you make a decision which can change your life.”
Beyond Silence
Another wonderful although more quiet movie is Caroline Links Oscar-nominated Beyond Silence (Jenseits der Stille, 1996). Young Lara has to take care of her deaf-mute parents by translating form sign-language to speech and back. When her aunt shows her how to play the clarinet she finds an outlet for herself and her creativity. While she becomes more successful her parents, who can’t hear her play, become more desperate worrying to loose her. The film paints a sensible picture of a young girl finding her way while growing up. The title refers to a scene between Lara and her father watching the snow outside. “What does it sound like”, asks her father, trying to understand Laras world of sounds for the first time.
Mostly Martha
In Sandra Nettelbecks 2001 movie Mostly Martha a busy chef has to take care of her little niece after the death of the mother. A humorous insight in the craziness of a high-end restaurant kitchen combined with the feeling filled story of two stubborn females, the chef Martha and her 8-year old niece, who have to learn how to get along with each other.
How to get German language movies
Some German movies might be available at the local library; otherwise Netflix is a great source. Amazon.de and Globalbooks.de are two online-shops, which send original German movies to the US. While Amazon.de charges a shipping fee of 14 Euros, no matter how big the order, Globalbook.de ships for free when the order exceeds 50 Euros. Read more about German movies and directors.
Josefine Köhn-Haskins - Josefine Köhn-Haskins is an award winning journalist, author and correspondent.
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