Great Freedom

2021 1h 56m DE

👍

7.3

SOLID

★7.3TMDB · 211

DramaRomanceCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In post-war Germany, liberation by the Allies does not mean freedom for everyone. Hans Hoffmann is repeatedly imprisoned under Paragraph 175, which criminalizes homosexuality. Nevertheless, over the decades, he continues his quest for freedom and love, even if he finds it in the most unusual places.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Franz Rogowski
Hans Hoffmann
Georg Friedrich
Viktor
Anton von Lucke
Leo Giese
Thomas Prenn
Oskar
Thomas Stecher
Guard 1968
Alfred Hartung
Guard 1945
Thomas Wehling
Guard 1957
Mex Schlüpfer
Buddy Viktor

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Sebastian Meise
Writers: Thomas Reider, Sebastian Meise
Languages: German
Countries: Austria, Germany

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 5 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Austria, Germany.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Sebastian Meise, shot by Crystel Fournier. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Peter Brötzmann. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Joana Scrinzi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Franz Rogowski and Georg Friedrich and Anton von Lucke carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt14775784 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Sebastian Meise directs. Crystel Fournier behind the camera. Peter Brötzmann scores. Joana Scrinzi cuts. Produced in Austria, Germany. Dialogue in German.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 5 years ago.
2International production across 2 countries: Austria, Germany.
3Directed by Sebastian Meise, shot by Crystel Fournier. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Peter Brötzmann. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Joana Scrinzi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Franz Rogowski and Georg Friedrich and Anton von Lucke carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt14775784 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Released under 13 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Crystel Fournier
Original score: Peter Brötzmann
Editing: Joana Scrinzi
Production design: Michael Randel
Costume design: Tanja Hausner
Makeup / hair: Heiko Schmidt
Sound: Manuel Meichsner
Runtime: 116 min · 1h 56m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $218,511
Original language: DE
IMDB: Great Freedom (2021)

Awards

European Film Award for Best Composer
European Film Award for Best Cinematographer

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Sebastian Meise

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-04-16
★ 7/10
It's curious to think that it is only fairly recently (1994!) that West Germany abolished it's odious "paragraph 175" legislation that imposed criminal penalties on homosexual men. Franz Rogowski is "Hoffman", a serial cottager who is frequently imprisoned for breaching this law. The film tells the rather bleak and depressing tale of his life spent behind bars: of his loves whilst there - notably with "Oskar" (Thomas Prenn) and "Leo" (Anton von Lucke); of his developing friendship with the straight and initially hostile "Viktor" (Georg Friedrich) and of the brutality of the prison system that reduced his quality of life to little more than that of street vermin. Rogowski (who reminds me a little of Joaquin Phoenix) is on good form as the story pans out; his character runs an whole gamut of emotions from love, despair, frustration and - very occasionally - joy, he even thinks of breaking out! By the time he is declared "legal", the character has become so institutionalised that freedom is nowhere near as attractive as he had expected it to be. It's not an easy film to watch, this one - made more potent by the fact the for much of the period he spent incarcerated, there were American soldiers guarding the jail too! The pace is slow, and the narrative switches timelines from time to time, so I needed to concentrate, but it is worth it if you are remotely interested in the ordeals of a man jailed just for being gay!

Production companies