Abschied - Brechts letzter Sommer (2000)

Director:

Jan Schütte

Writer:

Klaus Pohl (writer)

Release Date:

14 September 2000 (Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Quarrel | Deutsche Demokratische Republik | Old Man | Envy | 1950s

Cast

Josef Bierbichler	...	Bertolt Brecht
Monica Bleibtreu	...	Helene Weigel
Jeanette Hain	...	Käthe Reichel
Elfriede Irrall	...	Elisabeth Hauptmann
Margit Rogall	...	Ruth Berlau
Samuel Fintzi	...	Wolfgang Harich
Renata Zednikowa	...	Isot Kilian (as Rena Zednikova)
Birgit Minichmayr	...	Barbara Brecht
Tilman Günther	...	Offizier der Staatssicherheit
Paul Herwig	...	Manfred Weckwerth
Claudius Freyer	...	Peter Palitzsch
Emanuel Spitzy	...	Jungpionier
Slawomir Holland	...	Offizier der Staatssicherheit
Piotr Kryska	...	Fahrer der Staatssicherheit
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ulrich Matthes	...	Wolfgang Harig
Ilia Zmiejew	...	Ruppi (uncredited)

Directed by
Jan Schütte

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Klaus Pohl		writer

Produced by
Gesche Carstens	....	executive producer
Hendryk Romanovski	....	co-producer
Jan Schütte	....	producer

Original Music by
John Cale

Cinematography by
Edward Klosinski

Casting by
Risa Kes

Production Design by
Katharina Wöppermann

Art Direction by
Andrzej Rafal Waltenberger

Set Decoration by
Jerzy Radziwon

Costume Design by
Katharina Wöppermann

Makeup Department
Marga B. Bergschmidt	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Agnieszka Chrusciel	....	unit production manager
Agata Deka	....	unit production manager
Katarzyna Janus	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bohdan Graczyk	....	assistant director

Art Department
Stanislaw Górecki	....	set designer
Rafael Waldenburger	....	set constructor

Sound Department
Manfred Arbter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Anja Bause	....	foley recordist
Eckhard W. Kuchenbecker	....	sound
Bernd von Bassewitz	....	boom operator

Camera and Electrical Department
Tamas Nyerges	....	steadicam operator

Production Companies

• Filmcontract Ltd.
• Novoskop Film
• Ostdeutscher Rundfunk Brandenburg (ORB)
• Studio Babelsberg Independents
• Südwestrundfunk (SWR)
• Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)
• arte

Distributors

• New Yorker Films (2002) (USA) (subtitled)

Also Known As:

Abschied (Germany) (working title)
Buckower Elegien (Germany) (working title)
Pozegnanie (Poland)
The Farewell (Canada: English title) (festival title)

Country:

Germany | Poland

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Germany:6 | UK:15 (video rating) | UK:PG (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Poland

Company:

Filmcontract Ltd.

much ambition, little naturalness

a slight disappointing psychological drama, light minded and heavy going. respectable acting and fine cinematography are not enough to cover the plot weakness and banal dialogues. too much ambition, too little naturalness.