Das deutsche Volk (2025), directed by Marcin Wierzchowski, is a stark black-and-white documentary that examines the aftermath of the 2020 racist attack in Hanau, Germany, where a far-right extremist killed nine young people because he did not consider them German. Rather than revisiting the attack itself, the film follows the victims’ families and survivors over four years, focusing on grief, loss, and the long struggle for justice and recognition.
Told from the perspective of the bereaved, the film shows how the violence continues to shape both personal lives and the wider community. It reveals the families’ frustration with institutional failures, political inaction, and a bureaucratic system that leaves them to uncover the truth on their own—despite Germany’s long history of right-wing violence.
Avoiding narration and reenactments, the documentary centres memory as lived experience. It not only documents grief and activism but also becomes a form of memorial itself. Ultimately, Das deutsche Volk raises pressing questions about belonging, national identity, and whose lives—and memories—are truly valued.
Reference
https://www.berlinale.de/en/2025/programme/202509513.html
No comments:
Post a Comment