THE FORGER

Germany, 2022, 116 minutes, Colour.

Louis Hofman, Jonathan Berlin, Luna Wedler, Nina Gummich, Marc Limpach, Andre Jung.

Directed by Maggie Peren.

Berlin, 1942. This is the story of a young Jewish man, Ciomo (and based on his memoir written in later years). His family have been transported to the camps in the east.

The Berlin of 1942 is not so much a target of Allied attack but rather a town with deprivations and rations. As the film progresses, there will be the experience of bombings. So, this film provides something of a glimpse of what life was like for ordinary citizens in Berlin at the time.

Ciomo works in a munitions factory but has a background in art education and these are his ambitions. A fellow-worker suggests that he contact a Christian minister who is involved in preparing documents, passports, forgeries, permits, to help people escape. Ciomo is not an idealist and goes along with the plan, sharing his apartment with another Jewish young man, their pretending to be part of the German Navy, going to clubs, the high life, Ciomo meeting a young woman who survives by contact with men and falls in love with her.

In the meantime, his landlady, loyal but against the greed of authorities, arranges for Ciomo’s family possessions to be sold in secret to local women. The pastor then finds accommodation for Ciomo who contrives to be fired from his job and spends full-time on the forging.

There are always dangers and he wants to forge a document for himself, especially when the pastor is arrested as is his friend whom he cannot save. He enlists the unwilling help of the landlady and eventually is successful in escaping.

It is interesting that the forger himself is not presented as heroic, rather an ordinary person who responds to a situation, some self-centred motivations, but who eventually can be seen as contributing to the safety of thousands of people.

1. A Berlin 1942 story, ordinary living, rationed living, food shortages, coupons, the contrast with expensive restaurants? The movement of elderly Jewish people to the concentration camps? Young Jewish men still in Berlin, working in the factories? Atmosphere, the threats?
2. The recreation of the city, costumes, décor, apartment blocks, the streets, church offices, the restaurants, the factory floors? The musical score?
3. The film based on the memoir of the central character, character, exploits, the war, forgeries, hoping others, in self-preservation, after the war, living a long life?
4. Audience response to Hitler, German loyalties to Hitler, the war experience, the persecution of the Jews, the concentration camps?
5. The opening, the introduction to Ciomo, Lost and Found, his wallet, intruding, having to wait? Then the transition to his apartment, the story of his parents and grandmother, the concentration camps, the apartment and their possessions, the inspector coming and listing them, the threats, sealing the door? His friendship with Det, Det and his family, concentration camps, wanting to stay with Ciomo? Sharing coffee, food, hardships?
6. Ciomo, age, his clocks, getting up, the bus, to work, on time, filing the pipes, the severe boss? Later being late, pretending about the appendicitis, not going to hospital, being sacked? His being free to do the forgeries?
7. His background and art school, copying, finesse? The suggestion to meet Mr Kaufmann, the interview, the prospect of doing the forgeries, the passports, other documents? Kaufmann, his religious background, secrecy from his wife? Coordinating the team for forgeries? Helping thousands?
8. Ciomo, the initial forgery, Kaufmann’s warnings, yet the open door, the discussions with Det, his first work, Kaufmann and the criticisms? The close-ups of him at work, his tools, the links, pens, erasures, the precise work? his improving? And the forgery of the seal for the apartment, opening it up, the women from the market, getting their possessions, Mrs Peters and her threat?
9. Mrs Peters, anti-the establishment and their selfishness, her threats to show more, paying for the lamp, arranging for all the sales and getting the money? Ciomo later returning, the threats, her allowing him to stay, getting the document for him, for the forgery, not wanting to see him again?
10. Ciomo and Det, the easy life, going to the restaurant, dancing, the Navy uniforms and their pretence? The encounter with Gerda? Dancing, her fiance, yet her needs, availability for men? The relationship with Ciomo? Her seeing his forgeries, his leaving to recover his wallet? And his performance demanding to see the documents of the inspecting officials? Her wariness, separating from him?
11. Ciomo and Det, Det arrested, not betraying Diomo, Mr Kaufmann and his contacts, providing accommodation, and the office for working on the forgeries, the coworker and his wife leaving him? The discovery of his sketches about his family, the Jewish background, his pessimism?
12. The ever-present dangers, yet charm are always wanting to be in the open? Hiding in his old apartment, Mrs Peters, Mr Dietrich coming to inspect what had been stolen, Mrs Peters covering for Ciomo? His final achievement and freedom?
13. The final information about what happened to each of the characters – and Ciomo’s long life?