Face the Wall

Five people representing the more than 72,000 formerly imprisoned East German state refugees reveal the torture, cruelty, and the violations of human dignity that they endured in their daily lives. They are extraordinarily open about their struggle with the interrogation methods and the appalling conditions of imprisonment. In this sensitive documentary, which focuses closely on the eyewitnesses, the open wounds and psychological injuries that made it impossible to lead a normal, fear-free life are brought to light. "Cologne-based director Stefan Weinert picks up where the Oscar-winning feature film "The Lives of Others" leaves off. He doesn't need elaborate sets, just courage to let his protagonists have their say." (Die Zeit)

Keywords

  • Exclusive Docs: New Perspectives
  • Made in Germany
  • Politics: Human Rights
  • Sooner Exclusives
  • Topic: Oral History
  • cold war
  • history
  • politics
  • prison
  • refugees

Actors

  • Andreas B.
  • Lothar R.
  • Anne K.
  • Catharina Mage
  • Mario Röllig

Director

  • Stefan Weinert

Documentary, Independent


1h 25min


0 FSK

DE


ES

FR

SV

PT

IT

EN

PL

Germany
Luxembourg
2009
Victims of the repressive system in the former East German state give powerful testimony about the cruetly of the dehumanizing regime.

Victims of the repressive system in the former East German state give powerful testimony about the cruetly of the dehumanizing regime.


Five people representing the more than 72,000 formerly imprisoned East German state refugees reveal the torture, cruelty, and the violations of human dignity that they endured in their daily lives.


They are extraordinarily open about their struggle with the interrogation methods and the appalling conditions of imprisonment.


In this sensitive documentary, which focuses closely on the eyewitnesses, the open wounds and psychological injuries that made it impossible to lead a normal, fear-free life are brought to light.


"Cologne-based director Stefan Weinert picks up where the Oscar-winning feature film "The Lives of Others" leaves off. He doesn't need elaborate sets, just courage to let his protagonists have their say." (Die Zeit)

Cast & Crew