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The Lives of Others - Preview

The Lives of Others

Preview by Jack Foley

FLORIAN Henckel von Donnersmarck’s intriguing thriller and moving love story The Lives of Others added to its impressive list of accolades recently when it was named Best Foreign Language Film at the 79th Academy Awards, beating the hot favourite Pan’s Labyrinth.

The Oscar win capped a memorable weekend for the film, given that it had also taken the best foreign language film prize at the Independent Spirit Awards as well.

The film had already won three major prizes at last year’s European Film Awards in Warsaw – European Film of the Year, Best Screenplay (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck), Best Actor (the top East German actor Ulrich Muhe, previously best known for his theatre work).

After phenomenal success at the German box office, where it has taken more than $13 million, it also won seven awards at the German Lola film awards.

So what’s it about? The Lives Of Others is a precise and gripping snapshot of the omni-present and much feared secret service of communist East Germany, the Stasi.

Set in East Berlin before the fall of the Wall, the East German government kept control over its citizens with a ruthless system of control and surveillance run by the all powerful Stasi. When a high-ranking politician cannot keep his eyes off a celebrated stage actress (Martina Gedeck), State Security Captain Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Muhe) is briefed to set up strict surveillance on her boyfriend, the famous theatre director Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch).

The loyal Stasi man finds that the surveillance process gives him not just an intimate insight into the couple’s lives but will change his own life irrevocably.

Commenting on the film earlier this year, lead actor Muhe said he was delighted with the film’s success, as well as the fact it had actually been made.

“It took a few years before anyone found a clever way to bring into focus a system that kept 17 million people locked up and under suppression,” he said. “I was hoping this film would touch a nerve while we were working on it but you never really know how people will react.”

Muehe claims his own life was marred by Stasi informants, including one close to his family, during his early acting career in East Germany.

The film is being released by Lionsgate UK on April 13.

Watch the trailer or find out more about this year’s Oscars