ShareFilm Sort

Germany: 4 film(s)
Saviors in the Night / Unter Bauern: Retter in der Nacht
The Axe of Wandsbek / Das Beil von Wandsbek
Berlin '36
Human Failure / Menschliches Versagen

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OPENING NIGHT
Saviors in the Night / Unter Bauern: Retter in der Nacht
Ludi Boeken, Germany/France, 2009, 100m
U.S. Premiere/ Watch the trailer.
Based on the memoir of Marga Spiegel, this powerful World War II drama portrays how courageous German farmers in Westphalia risked their lives to hide a Jewish family. Passing as Aryan, Marga and her daughter develop a warm relationship with the Aschoff family, particularly young Anni, who is initially faithful to Nazism. Meanwhile Marga’s husband, sheltered by another farmer, runs the daily risk of discovery.
Thu Jan 21: 1:00pm
Thu Jan 21: 6:15pm
Tue Jan 26: 4:00pm



The Axe of Wandsbek / Das Beil von Wandsbek
Falk Harnack, East Germany, 1951, 111m
New York Premiere of Restored Print
Adapted from the 1947 novel by Arnold Zweig, this gripping drama set in 1934 follows a man who is paid by the Nazis to serve as a public executioner and goes on to be rejected by his community. The Axe Of Wandsbek considers the role that common citizens played in Nazi crimes.
Barton Byg, DEFA Film Library/UMass-Amherst, will be in attendance.
Thu Jan 21: 1:00pm
Thu Jan 21: 6:15pm
Tue Jan 26: 4:00pm



Berlin '36
Kaspar Heidelbach, Germany/UK, 2009, 110m
New York Premiere
Based on actual events, Berlin ’36 tells a dramatic story of friendship during that year’s infamous Olympics. After the Americans threaten a boycott if no Jewish athletes are on the German team, Gretel Bergmann, a Jewish champion high jumper, is invited to train. Contriving a scheme to spoil Gretel’s victory, the Reich promotes an unknown athlete named Marie Ketteler. Neither Gretel nor her teammates have any idea that Marie is a man passing as a woman, nor did the Nazis predict that the pair could become friends. Let the games begin!
Margaret Bergmann-Lambert will be in attendance on Thu. Jan 21.
Thu Jan 21: 1:00pm
Thu Jan 21: 6:15pm
Tue Jan 26: 4:00pm



Human Failure / Menschliches Versagen
Michael Verhoeven, Germany, 2008, 91m
New York Premiere
In this chilling documentary, Michael Verhoeven (director of the Oscar-nominated feature The Nasty Girl) reveals the expropriation and sale of Jewish assets that benefited innumerable citizens of the Third Reich. Using documentation from recently opened German archives and riveting interviews with archivists, historians, and descendants of Jewish families who lost apartments, bank accounts and property, Verhoeven uncovers involvement at all levels, from tax officials to merchants to the next-door neighbors.
Thu Jan 21: 1:00pm
Thu Jan 21: 6:15pm
Tue Jan 26: 4:00pm

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This year's New York Jewish Film Festival was selected by Rachel Chanoff, Independent Curator; Andrew Ingall, Assistant Curator, The Jewish Museum; Richard Peña, Program Director, The Film Society of Lincoln Center; Aviva Weintraub, Associate Curator and Director of the NYJFF, The Jewish Museum.

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