Die Frau und der Fremde

Shortly before the end of the First World War, two soldiers find themselves in Russian captivity: Richard tells Karl all about his wife Anna, who, in Karl’s imagination, becomes a sort of secret lover. By chance, he manages to escape and return to Germany, where Anna actually takes him in. When the real husband returns, the fragile balance between the characters is thrown into turmoil … This intense chamber drama about deception and love combines historical settings with existential
questions. With its calm, focused narrative style, Rainer Simon’s film ranks among the most artistically ambitious productions of the late DEFA era and won the Golden Bear at the Berlinale.
(Florian Widegger)