Palermo or Wolfsburg
1980 | 170 min | Drama
A young Sicilian follows the call of work to Germany. But what begins as a dream ends in coldness, violence, and disappointment.
Werner Schroeter
DirectorWerner Schroeter was born on April 7, 1945, in Georgenthal and is one of the most influential directors of German auteur cinema. His career began in the late 1960s, characterized by avant-garde imagery and a strong connection between film, theater, and opera. He gained international attention with PALERMO OR WOLFSBURG from 1980, which he directed himself. The film was shown at the Berlinale and awarded the Golden Bear, cementing his reputation as an outstanding voice of New German Cinema.
Schroeter's later works include DIESE NACHT (THIS NIGHT) from 2008, also directed by him, which was presented in competition at the Venice Film Festival. The film is considered one of his important late projects and once again showcases his characteristic blend of emotional intensity and stylistic freedom.
Other influential works in his oeuvre include Malina from 1991, which he directed and which was awarded the German Film Prize in Gold, and Tag der Idioten (Day of the Idiots) from 1981, which also received a Filmband in Gold. These titles mark central stages in a career that was characterized by an uncompromising artistic attitude, courageous subject matter, and a close connection to European film culture.
Werner Schroeter received numerous international awards during his career, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival. His films and productions continue to shape the understanding of a radically personal and aesthetically independent cinema to this day.
Films
This Night
2009 | 118 min | Drama
A night spent searching for a truth that constantly eludes us – the last film by Werner Schroeter.
Recommended for you
Mon enfant, ma bataille
2019 | 85 min | Documentary
This documentary tells the story of same-sex parenting in France by looking at the first French association that campaigns for the rights of same-sex parents. The film centers on the APGL (Association of Gay and Lesbian Parents and Future Parents), which has been fighting for equal legal treatment for queer parents for over 30 years. Director Émilie Jouvet gives voice to numerous people involved, such as children and their families, researchers, doctors, lawyers, who have written or are still writing ...
Living Together
2022 | 90 min | Documentary
In the heart of Vienna, a pioneering initiative funded by the EU and spearheaded by the city itself embarked on a mission to foster integration among refugees and newcomers, guiding them through the maze of a new cultural landscape. LIVING TOGETHER, directed by Thomas Fürhapter, delves into this intricate process, portraying the lives intertwined in this communal learning journey. The film, through the lens of Judith Benedikt and Klemens Koscher, captures the essence of adaptation, camaraderie, and ...
The Thing with Feathers
2022 | 20 min | Independent
The life of an Iranian-Afghan family in Germany is shown solely through their hands. Iranian doctor Maryam came to Germany two years ago with her family as asylum seekers. After the birth of her baby daughter Yara, she sticks to a strict daily study routine in the hope of returning to her medical profession, while her husband Hossain looks after the baby at home. On this particular day, Hossain has a job interview at a photo studio, and Maryam has to change her daily routine. The film is based on ...
Luz
2021 | 30 min | Drama
Young Colombian Luz hopes for a better life when she takes a job as a maid for a diplomatic couple in Germany. Full of anticipation for a secure position and the opportunity to support her family in Bogotá, she begins her new life. But soon the perfect façade of her new environment begins to crumble. At first, she is rejected by the older housekeeper Alba, but a crisis they experience together brings the two women closer. When Alba suddenly disappears the next morning, Luz begins to look behind ...
Storm
2009 | 105 min | Drama
STORM is a gripping political thriller that takes you into the dark corridors of the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague. Hannah Maynard, an experienced prosecutor, faces one of her greatest challenges: She is conducting the trial of Goran Duric, a former commander of the Yugoslav People's Army. Duric is accused of being responsible for the deportation and murder of Bosnian Muslim civilians during the war in Yugoslavia. The trial takes a dramatic turn when the main prosecution witness ...
And Along Come Tourists
2007 | 85 min | Drama
AND ALONG COME TOURISTS by Robert Thalheim deals with the complex issues of coming to terms with the past and human interaction. The film follows the young German Sven, played by Alexander Fehling, who is doing community service at the Auschwitz memorial site, and is confronted with both his own history and the historical burden of the place. Sven's relationship with concentration camp survivor Stanisław Krzemiński, played by Ryszard Ronczewski, forms the emotional center of the film. Their initially ...
A German Loves His Fatherland
2011 | 20 min | Comedy
Jens is tolerant, tall and handsome. But his honesty and deep loyalty to Germany cause him problems. Although he just loves his country, many people consider him a Nazi... Nico Sommer's mockumentary A GERMAN LOVES HIS FATHERLAND, which debuted at the Berlinale and won Best German Film at the Interfilm Festival Berlin, strikes the right balance between satire and seriousness. "Nico Sommer masters the game of authenticity. The director's a skill at this is both a blessing and a curse in the film. ...
The Net_GO TO TRIAL
2004 | 90 min | Icons & Media Art
Media coverage of the trial of Ted Kaczynski, better known as the “Unabomber,” was sensationalist and distorted. Between 1978 and 1995, Kaczynski carried out a series of bombings in the United States targeting executives of major airlines and scientists from various elite universities. He was arrested by the FBI in 1996, but a public trial never took place. Instead, Kaczynski accepted a plea bargain in 1998, thus avoiding both the death penalty and committal to a psychiatric institution. Since then, ...
Anqa
2023 | 91 min | Documentary
Three women in Jordan live in isolation – not by choice, but out of fear of further violence. Their home is their refuge, but it is also a prison that separates them from the outside world. What does it mean to live a life in the shadows? How do you find strength in the midst of pain? Helin Çelik's documentary addresses a reality that often remains hidden. ANQA is an intimate exploration of the survival strategies of these women, whose stories are told not in words but in images. The camera focuses ...
Yarê
2024 | 19 min | Shorts
The sun is already high in the sky when Yarê's mother wakes her up. Her stomach ache has gone, but the cause remains. The water she drank was stale, a consequence of the ubiquitous scarcity in her homeland. In the barren landscape between northern Syria and Turkey, water is a luxury item. The main water pipe has been broken for months, but no one repairs it. While others resign themselves to their fate, Yarê makes a decision: she sets out to get fresh water. YARÊ by Sallar Othman tells the story ...