Bitterfeld, 1992

Switzerland, January 2001
FILM, Documentary, 112 min.

Save as Favorite
directed by
Mathias Knauer
Written by
Mathias Knauer
Status
In distribution

The film takes us to the heart of the chemical industry of the former German Democratic Republic (DDR), in 1992 when most of those in the industry had already lost their jobs. The events recorded are now part of history. The ORWO film factory for example, which still had a future, was nonetheless liquidated by the supervisory trust company. The film's viewpoint proves to be the correct one: gone is the dissidence that existed at the time of shooting, when the film attempted to shed a critical light on the reconstruction process under the regime of Chancellor Kohl, giving the names of the parties responsible. From the planned report on the practices in Swiss companies of the management of the chemical combine broken up to the experiences which the people of Wolfen and Bitterfeld had with the new “market economy” spirit, the film provides both cause for reflection and a provocative essay on the process of the DDR's absorption into the Federal Republic of Germany (BRD).

credits

World Premiere
January 2001
Original Version
German,  colour and b/w, 16mm, 112 min.
Production
Attacca Filmproduktion, Teleclub AG
Producer
directed by
Mathias Knauer
Written by
Mathias Knauer
Cinemato­graphy
Rob Gnant
Editing
Mathias Knauer
Re-Recording Mix
Florian Eidenbenz
Location Sound Mix
Andreas Litmanowitsch

World Sales / World Rights

World Rights
Attacca Filmproduktion

Festivals

(a selection)