Paths in the Night
‘Wege in die Nacht’, G, 1999, directed by Andreas Kleinert, 97 min, with English subtitles, rated: 16
Berlin shortly after the fall of the Wall: old factory ruins, forming a threatening nocturnal backdrop, are all that remains of the GDR for people like Walter (Hilmar Thate). A once respected comrade and plant manager, he now finds himself redundant in a new world where he quickly loses touch. In nightly forays through the city, where he enforces law and order with half-siblings Gina and René, he regains recognition and respect. However, his utopia of a new and fairer era soon unravels. Hilmar Thate plays Walter with a powerful presence and quiet force. To the pounding rhythm of percussion, he slowly stumbles through black-and-white landscapes (Jürgen Jürges) towards madness.
Featuring: Hilmar Thate, Cornelia Schmaus, Henriette Heinze, Dirk Borchardt, Ingeborg Westphal