Shoah (1985) Director: Claude Lanzmann Runtime: 566 min Shoah is the Hebrew term for the Holocaust, the genocide of approximately six million of European Jews conducted by Nazis (and their collaborators) during World War II. It is very difficult to find the words to express or think about the Nazi industry of death. I will …
Syriana (2005) Director: Stephen Gaghan Actors: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright Runtime: 128 min A movie about the impact of the oil industry and petroleum politics on the Middle East, but also on world politics. Syriana is a term used by Washington think-tanks to describe a hypothetical re-shaping of the Middle East. The structure …
Il Camorrista (1986) Director: Giuseppe Tornatore Actors: Ben Gazzara, Laura del Sol, Leo Gullotta Runtime: 164 min Outstanding movie about the Mafia in southern Italy at the end of the 1970s. In the beginning of the movie, the authors say they hope that viewers will strengthen their belief in the necessity of the state and …
Now & Later (2009) Director: Philippe Diaz Actors: Shari Solanis, Keller Wortham Runtime: 99 min At the very beginning we are welcomed with Wilhelm Reich‘s quote: “A sexually repressed society will resort to violence.” He is an international trader – a speculator who grew up in a typical American family devoted to power and success. …
L’aveu (1970) Director: Costa-Gavras Actors: Yves Montand, Simone Signoret, Gabriele Ferzetti Runtime: 139 min The split between Tito and Stalin (1948), in the late 1940s and early 1950s, was followed by show trials of prominent Communists all over Eastern Europe and the wave of Stalinist purges in which tens of thousands suffered or lost their …
Le chagrin et la pitié (1969) Director: Marcel Ophüls Runtime: 251 min This two-part documentary analyzes the occupation of France in World War II through the example of a city with a population of approximately 100,000 people. The spirit of the time is quite well conveyed with the use of archive materials, as well as …
Guilty By Suspicion (1991) Director: Irwin Winkler Actors: Robert De Niro Runtime: 105 min The beginning of the Cold War brought a new wave of anti-communist hysteria and “witch hunts” in the U.S. The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations headed by Senator McCarthy took the leading role, accompanied by the House Committee on Un-American Activities – …
Stander (2003) Director: Bronwen Hughes Actors: Thomas Jane, David O’Hara, Dexter Fletcher Runtime: 111 min Andre Stander was an officer in the South African police at the beginning of 1980s. A powerful revolt arises in him after the shock he experiences during his involvement in a police massacre of unarmed civilians at the rally of the …
Salvador (Puig Antich) (2006) Director: Manuel Huerga Actors: Daniel Brühl, Tristán Ulloa Runtime: 134 min Salvador Puig was a Spanish anarchist, member of the group MIL, which robbed banks and financed illegal political press, books and other materials, supported workers’ struggles and the fight against authoritarian regime of Francisco Franco. During the arrest, he killed …
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) Director: Tomas Alfredson Actors: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy Runtime: 127 min At the very top of the British intelligence agency MI6 is a Soviet double agent. Or maybe not? Very complex and dynamic espionage thriller set in the middle of the 1970s. From the beginning of the movie, …
