BARBARA

Germany, 2012, 90 minutes, Colour.
Nina Hoss.
Directed by Christian Petzold.

Non- German audiences need to know that this film is set in East Germany in 1978 – clues come later but audiences may miss them initially and be puzzled by some plot developments.

Christian Petzold has made some fine German films, a number with leading actress, Nina Hoss. Here she plays a Berlin doctor who has been disciplined and sent to work in a provincial hospital. The local medico is kind, but she is wary, especially when she is frequently subject to humiliating security checks.

She is private but has connections with a West German who is engineering her escape. In the meantime, she becomes attached to some of the patients, especially with a young prisoner and with a would-be suicide. Through a range of coincidences, she has to make a choice about whether she will make her escape to Denmark or not.

The film is really a portrait of a good woman who faces moral choices in a very restrictive society. It is carried by Nina Hoss’s performance and strong screen presence.

1. A story of East Germany, 1980, the harsh situations, restrictive? Surveillance? The desire for escape? Ordinary and functioning life?

2. The country town, the hospital, homes, the countryside? The sea?

3. The title, the focus on Barbara herself, a portrait, her age, work as a doctor, her relationship with the man from the West? Working in Berlin? Disciplined, sent to the countryside, humiliation? The continued security searching? Alone, the encounter with Andre, his work in the hospital? His reaching out to her, his giving her a lift, being informed about her background, her suspicions about him? People and their suspicions of reporting to police and officials? Her getting the bike, riding to work? Her seeing Stella, diagnosing the meningitis? The treatment, sympathy? Her riding the bike to get the money, hiding it in the forest? The visit of the lover from the West, the plan for her escape? Going to the hotel, the men at the hotel, the young girl with the other businessman, looking at the rings, hoping to escape from the East? It not being possible?

4. Mario, the attempted suicide, the memory tests, the visit of his girlfriend, leaving her the note? Barbara and her going to visit Andre, concerned about an operation? His treating the wife of the policeman? Her going to his house, the preparation of the meal? The operation and the specialist doctor? Success?

5. Stella, her work out in the fields, escaping, going to see Barbara, asking for help, Barbara treating her, making the decision, taking her to the sea – and Stella leaving in Barbara’s place?

6. Andre, his search, his disappointment that Barbara had gone?

7. Barbara, her return, with Andre? The choices of her life, altruism?