Great Freedom
Directed by:
Sebastian MeiseCinematography:
Crystel FournierCast:
Franz Rogowski, Georg Friedrich, Anton von Lucke, Thomas Prenn, Thomas Stecher, Alfred Hartung, Thomas Wehling, Mex Schlüpfer, Fabian Stumm (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
In post-war Germany, liberation by the Allies does not mean freedom for everyone. Hans has been found guilty for his homosexuality, deemed grounds for imprisonment under Paragraph 175. Over the course of decades, he is spied on and repeatedly jailed as a result. As Hans returns to prison again and again, he develops an unlikely bond with his cellmate Viktor, a convicted murderer. What begins as revulsion blossoms over time into something far more tender. Winner of the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at Cannes, and starring an exceptional Franz Rogowski, Sebastian Meise’s Great Freedom is a searing depiction of love in the face of injustice. (MUBI)
(more)Reviews (3)
Great Freedom is another example of the strong LGBT films being made in German-speaking countries (see Free Fall, Sasha, Summer Storm and The Circle). Sebastian Meise's film stands above all on a strong premsise and the performance of Franz Rogowski. Leaving aside the fact that those 23 years don’t quite show in Hans and Viktor, Great Freedom still offers a pretty believable and authentic story about the plight of (not only) gay men in prison in post-war Germany. The film also cleverly plays with the word "freedom", which in the context of prison doesn't always mean just "space outside the bars". Bars can divide, but they can also unite!
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Franz Rogowski reminds me more and more of Joaquin Phoenix. And not only in terms of appearance, but also in terms of charisma and acting talent. I haven't seen him in a gay role before and I have to admit that he handled it well. The Austrian director and screenwriter Sebastian Meise bets on rawness, and so practically the entire plot of Great Freedom takes place in the harsh environment of a prison. He's not a pretty sight. Some of the shots may make those with weak stomachs feel nauseous. Nevertheless, the movie reveals huge amounts about human nature and the need for love. (80%)
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