The Berlin Wall has fallen. Doors are now opening and barriers are disappearing. Even before the Deutschmark starts to flow eastward, waves of people gush through the train station at Friedrichstrasse. Beginning in July 1990, when the treaty unifying the two German states takes effect, the controls at this border crossing become ever more lax. Four filmmakers from West and East keep tabs on the dismantling of the border operation posts and checkpoints. In the labyrinthian depths of the Tränenpalast (Palace of Tears), a border guard talks about comparing real ears with the ones on I.D. pictures “like a conveyor belt”. There are first-hand tales of chicanery and currency transactions, while the sales assistants from the hard currency Intershop reflect on the uncertain future they face.
Madeleine Bernstorff, production manager on the film, said in 2021: “The train station is an out-of-focus, hyper-mobile image of society’s restructuring. Looking back now, I think it is even clearer than back then how certain historical events or political watersheds are best told from varying perspectives. All four filmmakers bring their own experiences, issues and work backgrounds to bear on the film. The resulting effect is full of depth and nuance.”

G 1991, directed by Konstanze Binder, Lilly Grote, Ulrike Herdin, Julia Kunert, 86 min, German, English subtitles, rated: 0

Short film: In My Neighbourhood, GDR 1990, directed by Gábor Steisinger, without dialogue, rated: 0